BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

add, subtract, multiply, or divide

This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 3650
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:27 am
Location: India
Thanked: 267 times
Followed by:80 members
GMAT Score:760

add, subtract, multiply, or divide

by sanju09 » Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:10 am
Symbol * denote to be one of the operations add, subtract, multiply, or divide. Is (6*2)*4 = 6*(2*4)?

(1) 3*2 > 3.

(2) 3*1 = 3.



OA A
The mind is everything. What you think you become. -Lord Buddha



Sanjeev K Saxena
Quantitative Instructor
The Princeton Review - Manya Abroad
Lucknow-226001

www.manyagroup.com
Top
Source: — Data Sufficiency |
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:05 pm
Location: Ohio, US
Thanked: 6 times

by blackarrow » Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:37 pm
question stem:-

Is (6*2)*4 = 6*(2*4)?
== This is possible only if * means either multiply or add. if * means any other sign, the equation does not stand true.

From statement 1
(1) 3*2 > 3.

True, only if * means add or multiply. thus sufficient

Statement 2
(2) 3*1 = 3.

True, when * means multiply (in which case question stem is true)
Also when * means Divide (in which case question stem is false)

Thus stmnt 2 - not sufficient

IMO A
Its better to burn out than to fade away
Top
Legendary Member
Posts: 621
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:13 pm
Thanked: 33 times
Followed by:4 members

by vittalgmat » Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:59 pm
This problem is a 2 step problem.
step1: from the stmts, identify the operation(s) that can satisfy the Stmt.
step2: now apply the operator(s) to the original Question stem.
A stmt is sufficient, if the operator OR list of operators applied to the question satisfies the question.

with this background, lets start looking at stmts.

Stmt 1: 3*2 > 3.
Candidate operators are Add and multiply coz both of them result in a value > 3.
Applying Add operator
6+(2+4) = (6+2)+4

Applying Multiply operator.
6*(2*4) = (6*2)*4

So sufficient.


Stmt 2:
3*1 = 3.
2 operators satisfy this stmt, viz, Mult and Div.

We already proved that multiply works fine. So Yes
But
applying Division operator to the Q.
(6/2) / 3 != 6 / (2/3): so NO.

hence Stmt N/S.

So answer is A

Ht helps.
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1