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a or b

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ruposh6240
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a or b [#permalink] New post   11 Oct 2018, 22:18
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\(ab \neq 0\) and \(a^x = b^x\)

Quantity A
Quantity B
a
b


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.
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D
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GreenlightTestPrep
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Re: a or b [#permalink] New post   14 Oct 2018, 07:12
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ruposh6240 wrote:
\(ab \neq 0\) and \(a^x = b^x\)

Quantity A
Quantity B
a
b


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.


Let's test some possible solutions to the given equation, a^x = b^x

Case i: a = 1, b = 1 and x = 3
These values satisfy the equation a^x = b^x
In this case, we get:
Quantity A: 1
Quantity B: 1
Here, the two quantities are EQUAL

Case ii: a = -1, b = 1 and x = 2
These values also satisfy the equation a^x = b^x
In this case, we get:
Quantity A: -1
Quantity B: 1
Here, Quantity B is GREATER

Answer: D


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arabella
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Re: a or b [#permalink] New post   13 Nov 2019, 15:00
Replying to the above solution...

If a = -1 and x = 2, then wouldn't a^x = (-1)^2 = 1? So in your Case ii, Quantity A = 1 and Quantity B = 1

(But the answer is still D given that, for example using the same values of a = -1 and b = 1, if x = 3, then
Quantity A: = -1
Quantity B = 1)
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Re: a or b [#permalink] New post   13 Nov 2019, 15:11
"Replying to the above solution...

If a = -1 and x = 2, then wouldn't a^x = (-1)^2 = 1? So in your Case ii, Quantity A = 1 and Quantity B = 1

(But the answer is still D given that, for example using the same values of a = -1 and b = 1, if x = 3, then
Quantity A: = -1
Quantity B = 1"

Be careful. We are asked to compare QUANTITY A (a) and QUANTITY B (b)
In case ii, a = -1, b = 1 and x = 2
So, we get:
QUANTITY A: a = -1 (not 1)
QUANTITY B: b = 1
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Re: a or b [#permalink] New post   24 May 2021, 07:44
Hello from the GRE Prep Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GRE Prep Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

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Re: a or b [#permalink]
24 May 2021, 07:44
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