Last visit was: 22 Dec 2024, 10:06 It is currently 22 Dec 2024, 10:06

Close

GRE Prep Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GRE score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Close

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel
Verbal Expert
Joined: 18 Apr 2015
Posts: 30461
Own Kudos [?]: 36816 [14]
Given Kudos: 26100
Send PM
avatar
Director
Director
Joined: 03 Sep 2017
Posts: 518
Own Kudos [?]: 707 [1]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 01 Jul 2018
Posts: 3
Own Kudos [?]: 6 [3]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
User avatar
Director
Director
Joined: 22 Jun 2019
Posts: 521
Own Kudos [?]: 722 [0]
Given Kudos: 161
Send PM
Re: If a > 0 and b < 0, which of the following statements are t [#permalink]
Any other solution?
avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 24 Oct 2020
Posts: 15
Own Kudos [?]: 17 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: If a > 0 and b < 0, which of the following statements are t [#permalink]
Okay so this problem is a bit tricky, I have few comments and the feedback is most appreciated.

My first notice is the importance of the conditions given, so we know the (a) > 0 , (b) < 0.

Moreover, we see in the equation given that: x^2 - ax +b = 0

Considering the first condition we see that the equation is really in this shape: x^2 - ax - b ; because b is a negative number.

If their sum in the equation is negative then after we factor them and solve they are going to change signs and thus their sum after becoming the solutions is a positive sum.

And the tricky part regarding their multiplication is irrelevant, they would never equal to -b because their multiplication is going to be definitely negative( they have opposite signs) and b < 0; so -b == +ve value.

It becomes much clearer as you demonstrate it on a simple equation as mentioned in the above comments.
Intern
Intern
Joined: 08 Aug 2022
Posts: 49
Own Kudos [?]: 38 [1]
Given Kudos: 98
Send PM
Re: If a > 0 and b < 0, which of the following statements are t [#permalink]
1
I found it helpful to think about a real-life example. I know that since b is negative, the two roots need to have opposite signs (per factoring). And since a is positive, in the equation it will flip to negative with the minus sign, so when I factor, I want the number I subtract to be greater than the number I add.

For example, (x-5)(x+3) = x^2 -2x -15 would meet this criteria, since this creates a negative for both -a and b (a=2, b=-15).

If I look at this test case, I see that the roots that solve the equation are x=5 and x=-3.

Then I just checked these against the criteria and logically deduced why that would be generalizable.

A: They have opposite signs. YES --> We already knew this would have to be the case in order to factor into a number less than zero for b.

B: Their sum is greater than zero: YES --> We see this in our example. Thinking more generally, we know this has to be true in order to create the situation where we could subtract a number for the second term (the one that goes with "x"), as in our equation.

C: Their products equal -b: NO --> In our case, their products equal b, not negative b. We also know from the general rules of factoring that the products of a negative and positive root will be the same as the negative value at the end of our equation.

So the answer is A and B.
User avatar
GRE Prep Club Legend
GRE Prep Club Legend
Joined: 07 Jan 2021
Posts: 5088
Own Kudos [?]: 76 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: If a > 0 and b < 0, which of the following statements are t [#permalink]
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).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Prep Club for GRE Bot
Re: If a > 0 and b < 0, which of the following statements are t [#permalink]
Moderators:
GRE Instructor
88 posts
GRE Forum Moderator
37 posts
Moderator
1115 posts
GRE Instructor
234 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne