I couldn't think of a more scientific method, but here's how I see it:
First look at what we've got and break it down into prime factors:
6 = 2*3
9 = 3*3
1. tells you that the least common multiple of x and 6 is 30.
30 = 2*3*5. We're lucky, since you can't make too many numbers out of just 2, 3 and 5, with the restriction that 5 MUST be one of x's divisors (there must be a reason for the 5 in 30 - it can't just pop out of nowhere). You can easily tell that there are only 4 possibilities for x:
a. x = 5, case when the lcm of x, 6 and 9 will be 90
b. x = 10, case when the lcm of x, 6 and 9 will be 90
c. x = 15, case when the lcm of x, 6 and 9 will be 90
d. x = 30, case when the lcm of x, 6 and 9 will be 90.
Since you get 90 all over, 1 is sufficient.
2. 45 = 3*3*5. Again, there aren't a lot of possibilities, even fewer in this case:
a. x = 15, with lcm 90
b. x = 45, with lcm 90.
Answer's 90 all over, meaning that 2 is sufficient as well.
can someone explain this one also?
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Source: Beat The GMAT — Problem Solving |
according to 1 - x has to be 5 since LCM is 30 so that is suff
according to 2 - X has to be 5 since LCM is 45 so that is suff
now since we know that x is 5, we can find the LCM of x, 6, 9 to be 90 since x is 5.
I hope I explained correctly. it takes some time to undestand this quesiton, but I am starting to learn.......
Thank you
ST
according to 2 - X has to be 5 since LCM is 45 so that is suff
now since we know that x is 5, we can find the LCM of x, 6, 9 to be 90 since x is 5.
I hope I explained correctly. it takes some time to undestand this quesiton, but I am starting to learn.......
Thank you
ST
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vittalgmat
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Raama's soln is the simplest and elegent.krisraam wrote:Stmt 1 : LCM of x and 6 is 30.
lcm of x,6,9 will be the LCM of 30,9
Stmt1 is sufficient.
similarly
Stmt2 is sufficient.
Thanks
raama
His soln is based on the following property of LCM:
LCM(a, b, c) = LCM(a, LCM(b,c) ) = LCM( LCM(a,b) , c )
This is your major takeaway.












