anuprajan5 wrote:GMATGuruNY wrote:dellaboemia wrote:If 3^a4^b = c, what is the value of b?
(1) 5^a = 25
(2) c = 36
ANSWER :C
SOURCE: KAPLAN QUESTION BANK
Statement 2: c=36
Substituting c=36 into 3^a4^b = c, we get:
3^a4^b = 36.
No way to solve for b.
INSUFFICIENT.
The correct answer is
C.
Mitch,
I have a question. If we prime factorize 36, we get 3^2 * 2^2. Wouldn't we able to determine what b is if we set in the format of 3^2*4^b
Regards
Anup
It is important to recognize how a problem is restricted and how it ISN'T.
This DS places NO RESTRICTIONS on a and b: they can be integers, non-integers, positive, negative, etc.
Thus, there are an INFINITE number of solutions for (3^a)(4^b) = 36.
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