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# given a < 0

Author Message
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GRE Prep Club Legend
Joined: 07 Jun 2014
Posts: 4810
GRE 1: Q167 V156
WE: Business Development (Energy and Utilities)
Followers: 117

Kudos [?]: 1889 [0], given: 397

given a < 0 [#permalink]  02 Jul 2017, 15:29
Expert's post
00:00

Question Stats:

82% (00:16) correct 17% (00:32) wrong based on 39 sessions
a < 0

 Quantity A Quantity B a² 2a

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.

Drill 1
Question: 1
Page: 352
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

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Sandy
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GRE Instructor
Joined: 10 Apr 2015
Posts: 1958
Followers: 60

Kudos [?]: 1790 [0], given: 9

Re: given a < 0 [#permalink]  08 Jul 2017, 05:56
Expert's post
sandy wrote:
a < 0

 Quantity A Quantity B a^2 2a

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.

Drill 1
Question: 1
Page: 352

Given:
QUANTITY A: a²
QUANTITY B: 2a

Since a is negative, we know that a² = (negative)(negative) = some POSITIVE number
Since a is negative, we know that 2a = (2)(negative) = some NEGATIVE number

So, we get:
QUANTITY A: some POSITIVE number
QUANTITY B: some NEGATIVE number

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Brent Hanneson – Creator of greenlighttestprep.com

GRE Prep Club Legend
Joined: 07 Jun 2014
Posts: 4810
GRE 1: Q167 V156
WE: Business Development (Energy and Utilities)
Followers: 117

Kudos [?]: 1889 [0], given: 397

Re: given a < 0 [#permalink]  22 Apr 2018, 14:04
Expert's post
Explanation

Try Plugging In.

If a = –3, then Quantity A is $$(-3)^2 = 9$$ and Quantity B is $$2(-3) = -6$$.

Notice that Quantity A must always be positive because anything raised to an even power is positive. Quantity B must be negative because a positive times a negative is always negative.

Thus, Quantity A must always be greater.
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Sandy
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Re: given a < 0   [#permalink] 22 Apr 2018, 14:04
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