[GMAT math practice question]
The sum of two numbers is 1 and their product is -1. What is the sum of their cubes?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
The sum of two numbers is 1 and their product is -1. What is
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- Max@Math Revolution
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Call the numbers X and Y.
So X+Y=1 and XY=-1 given the problem statement.
Let's square X+Y = X^2+2XY+Y^2 = 1.
Since XY=-1, we can substitute: X^2+Y^2-2 = 1. So,
X^2+Y^2 = 3.
Multiplying X^2+Y^2 by X+Y = (X+Y)(X^2+Y^2) = X^3 + Y^3 +XY^2 + YX^2 = (3)(1)
Factor an XY from the last two terms: X^3+Y^3 + XY(Y+X) = 3
Substitute XY=-1 and X+Y=1 into the above yields
X^3+Y^3 -(1)(1) = 3
therefore X^3+Y^3 = 4,D
So X+Y=1 and XY=-1 given the problem statement.
Let's square X+Y = X^2+2XY+Y^2 = 1.
Since XY=-1, we can substitute: X^2+Y^2-2 = 1. So,
X^2+Y^2 = 3.
Multiplying X^2+Y^2 by X+Y = (X+Y)(X^2+Y^2) = X^3 + Y^3 +XY^2 + YX^2 = (3)(1)
Factor an XY from the last two terms: X^3+Y^3 + XY(Y+X) = 3
Substitute XY=-1 and X+Y=1 into the above yields
X^3+Y^3 -(1)(1) = 3
therefore X^3+Y^3 = 4,D
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x³ + y³ = (x+y)(x²+y²-xy)Max@Math Revolution wrote:[GMAT math practice question]
The sum of two numbers is 1 and their product is -1. What is the sum of their cubes?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
Since x+y=1, we get:
(x+y)² = 1²
x² + y² + 2xy = 1
Substituting xy=-1 into x² + y² + 2xy = 1, we get:
x² + y² + 2(-1) = 1
x² + y² = 3
Substituting x+y=1, x²+y²=3 and xy=-1 into x³ + y³ = (x+y)(x²+y²-xy), we get:
x³ + y³ = (1)(3-(-1)) = (1)(4) = 4
The correct answer is D.
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- Max@Math Revolution
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Let the numbers be x and y. Then x + y = 1 and xy = -1.
Since (x+y)^2 = x^2 + 2xy + y^2 = x^2 + y^2 - 2, we have x^2 + y^2 = 3,
and x^3 + y^3 = (x+y)(x^2-xy+y^2) = 1*(x^2+ 1 + y^2) = x^2+y^2+1 = 4.
Therefore, the answer is D.
Answer: D
Let the numbers be x and y. Then x + y = 1 and xy = -1.
Since (x+y)^2 = x^2 + 2xy + y^2 = x^2 + y^2 - 2, we have x^2 + y^2 = 3,
and x^3 + y^3 = (x+y)(x^2-xy+y^2) = 1*(x^2+ 1 + y^2) = x^2+y^2+1 = 4.
Therefore, the answer is D.
Answer: D
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We can let a and b be the two numbers. So we have a + b = 1 and ab = -1 and we need to determine the value of a^3 + b^3.Max@Math Revolution wrote:[GMAT math practice question]
The sum of two numbers is 1 and their product is -1. What is the sum of their cubes?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
Notice that (a + b)^3 = a^3 + 3a^2*b + 3a*b^2 + b^3. So we have:
1^3 = a^3 + b^3 + 3a^2*b + 3a*b^2
1 = a^3 + b^3 + 3ab(a + b)
1 = a^3 + b^3 + 3(-1)(1)
1 = a^3 + b^3 - 3
4 = a^3 + b^3
Alternate Solution:
Letting a and b denote the numbers, we can use the identity a^3 + b^3 = (a + b)(a^2 - ab + b^2). We already know a + b = 1 and ab = -1, we need to find a^2 + b^2.
Notice that (a + b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab + b^2. Since a + b = 1 and ab = -1, we have
1^2 = a^2 + 2(-1) + b^2
a^2 + b^2 = 1 + 2 = 3.
Now, a^3 + b^3 = (a + b)(a^2 - ab + b^2) = (1)(a^2 + b^2 - ab) = 3 -(-1) = 3 + 1 = 4.
Answer: D
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