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# (-5)^6 or (-6)^5

Author Message
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Founder
Joined: 18 Apr 2015
Posts: 6596
Followers: 107

Kudos [?]: 1262 [0], given: 5975

(-5)^6 or (-6)^5 [#permalink]  25 Aug 2018, 00:08
Expert's post
00:00

Question Stats:

100% (00:05) correct 0% (00:00) wrong based on 11 sessions
 Quantity A Quantity B $$(-5)^6$$ ($$-6)^5$$

A) Quantity A is greater.
B) Quantity B is greater.
C) The two quantities are equal.
D) The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

Kudos for R.A.E
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

_________________
GRE Instructor
Joined: 10 Apr 2015
Posts: 1751
Followers: 58

Kudos [?]: 1668 [1] , given: 8

Re: (-5)^6 or (-6)^5 [#permalink]  25 Aug 2018, 07:41
1
KUDOS
Expert's post
Carcass wrote:
 Quantity A Quantity B $$(-5)^6$$ ($$-6)^5$$

A) Quantity A is greater.
B) Quantity B is greater.
C) The two quantities are equal.
D) The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

Kudos for R.A.E

Two important rules:

RULE #1: ODD exponents preserve the sign of the base.
So, (NEGATIVE)^(ODD integer) = NEGATIVE
and (POSITIVE)^(ODD integer) = POSITIVE

RULE #2: EVEN exponent always yields a positive result (unless the base = 0)
So, (NEGATIVE)^(EVEN integer) = POSITIVE
and (POSITIVE)^(EVEN integer) = POSITIVE

Given:
Quantity A: (-5)^6
Quantity B: (-6)^5

In other words:
Quantity A: (NEGATIVE)^EVEN
Quantity B: (NEGATIVE)^ODD

From RULE #2, we know that Quantity A is POSITIVE
From RULE #1, we know that Quantity B is NEGATIVE

So, Quantity A must be greater

Cheers,
Brent
_________________

Brent Hanneson – Creator of greenlighttestprep.com

Re: (-5)^6 or (-6)^5   [#permalink] 25 Aug 2018, 07:41
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