What is the square root of x?

This topic has expert replies
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2013 4:45 am

What is the square root of x?

by aaron1981 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 8:03 pm
What is the square root of x?

1) The cube root of x is 81.
2) The 6th root of x is 9.

Pl. help me with this confusing question.

User avatar
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 21
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2017 7:39 pm

by soudeh » Thu Aug 17, 2017 4:10 am
The first data is usable because it helps to find the number ,since it is odd root

Other information is talking about 6th root ( which is even)
So your original number could be negative or positive

All in all, the answer is A

Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2013 4:45 am

by aaron1981 » Thu Aug 17, 2017 4:36 am
soudeh wrote:The first data is usable because it helps to find the number ,since it is odd root

Other information is talking about 6th root ( which is even)
So your original number could be negative or positive

All in all, the answer is A
I think the second one is also usable since '9' is positive and its a root of a number, so the base number should be positive.

Experts, need help...

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
Elite Legendary Member
Posts: 10392
Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Thanked: 2867 times
Followed by:511 members
GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Wed Aug 23, 2017 7:52 pm
Hi aaron1981,

This question is a 'lift' of an OG question:
GMAT2017: pg. 276, Q240
GMAT2018: pg. 272, Q240

When dealing with this type of math, you have to be clear on the difference between:
X^2 = 9 ... this has two solutions: +3 and -3
(root9) ... this has one solution: +3

When a question asks for the square root of a number, there's only one answer: the POSITIVE one. In this question, both of the Facts give you enough information to determine the value of X, so you could then determine the square root of X. Thus, both Facts are SUFFICIENT

Final Answer: D

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
Image

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 1462
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:34 am
Location: New York, NY
Thanked: 39 times
Followed by:22 members

by Jeff@TargetTestPrep » Thu Jun 21, 2018 3:30 pm
aaron1981 wrote:What is the square root of x?

1) The cube root of x is 81.
2) The 6th root of x is 9.
Statement One Alone:

The cube root of x is 81

We can create the equation:

∛x = 81

x = 81^3 = 3^12, so the square root of x is 3^6.

Statement one alone is sufficient to answer the question.

Statement Two Alone:

The 6th root of x is 9.

We can create the equation:

^6√x = 9

x = 9^6 = 3^12

So the square root of x is 3^6.

Answer: D

Jeffrey Miller
Head of GMAT Instruction
[email protected]

Image

See why Target Test Prep is rated 5 out of 5 stars on BEAT the GMAT. Read our reviews