DS - Inequality

This topic has expert replies
User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 1665
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 7:04 pm
Thanked: 165 times
Followed by:70 members

DS - Inequality

by karthikpandian19 » Sat Jul 07, 2012 8:13 pm
Is 9a - 5b < a^4?

9a - 5b = -7
a > 3 and b > 0.
Regards,
Karthik
The source of the questions that i post from JUNE 2013 is from KNEWTON

---If you find my post useful, click "Thank" :) :)---
---Never stop until cracking GMAT---
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3835
Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:00 pm
Location: Milpitas, CA
Thanked: 1854 times
Followed by:523 members
GMAT Score:770

by Anurag@Gurome » Sat Jul 07, 2012 8:28 pm
karthikpandian19 wrote:Is 9a - 5b < a^4?

(1) 9a - 5b = -7
(2) a > 3 and b > 0.
Note that a^4 is always greater than or equal to zero.

Statement 1: (9a - 5b) is negative.
Hence, (9a - 5b) must be less than a^4

Sufficient

Statement 2: As a > 3, a^4 > 9a for all possible values of a.
Hence, (a^4 - 9a) > 0
As b > 0, 5b > 0 ----> -5b < 0

So, -5b < 0 < (a^4 - 9a)
--> -5b < (a^4 - 9a)
--> (9a - 5b) < a^4

Sufficient

The correct answer is D.
Anurag Mairal, Ph.D., MBA
GMAT Expert, Admissions and Career Guidance
Gurome, Inc.
1-800-566-4043 (USA)

Join Our Facebook Groups
GMAT with Gurome
https://www.facebook.com/groups/272466352793633/
Admissions with Gurome
https://www.facebook.com/groups/461459690536574/
Career Advising with Gurome
https://www.facebook.com/groups/360435787349781/