Last visit was: 17 Dec 2024, 21:50 It is currently 17 Dec 2024, 21:50

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: 30349
Own Kudos [?]: 36746 [3]
Given Kudos: 26080
Send PM
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 02 May 2018
Posts: 58
Own Kudos [?]: 58 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 26 Jan 2018
Posts: 189
Own Kudos [?]: 167 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
GRE 1: Q165 V156
Send PM
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 07 Jun 2014
Posts: 4815
Own Kudos [?]: 11252 [3]
Given Kudos: 0
GRE 1: Q167 V156
WE:Business Development (Energy and Utilities)
Send PM
Re: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#permalink]
3
Expert Reply
The quadratic method is indeed correct. There is a riskier plugging method.

Rewrite the equation: \(x^2+x-380=0\) as \(x^2+x=380\)

\(x(x+1)=380\).

So 380 is product of 2 consequtive integers x and x+1. Factorizing 380 we get 19, 5, 2, 2. So we can rewrite 380 as 19*20 (two consecutive integers).

Hence x=19.

PS: in real exam this method might be risky and might consume too much time to implement.
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 02 May 2018
Posts: 58
Own Kudos [?]: 58 [1]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#permalink]
1
mohan514 wrote:
PIneappleBoy2 wrote:
I solved the problem using the quadratic formula, but I welcome other ways on how to do it faster.

a=1, b=1, c= -380

x= \(\frac{-1+-\sqrt{1^2-4(1)(-380)}}{2(1)}\)

x= \(\frac{-1+-\sqrt{1521}}{2}\)

x= \(\frac{-1+39}{2(1)}\) and x= \(\frac{-1-39}{2}\)

X= \(\frac{38}{2}\) and x= \(\frac{-40}{2}\)

x=14 and x=-20.

Since we are looking for a positive integer, we can disregard -20 and only look at x=14.

Quantity A = 14
Quantity B = 10

Quantity A is greater.

The answer is A.


38/2 is 19 BTW.

How do we know square root of 1521 is 39?

I think we can just consider about the symobl the number would have and conclude as positive vs negative. Correct me if I am wrong.

Also is that the only way to solve this problem?


Just edited my original post to reflect that the answer is actually 19, not 14. Thank you for that.

We are able to find that 39 is the square root of 1521 through the use of the GRE Calculator.

As for concluding the positive vs. negative, you are correct. I just wrote it out since it was a part of the quadratic equation.
Intern
Intern
Joined: 04 Oct 2018
Posts: 35
Own Kudos [?]: 33 [0]
Given Kudos: 33
Send PM
Re: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#permalink]
1
Here, x (Square)+x−380 = 0
Then, x (x+1) = 380
Then, x (x+1) = 19 * 20
Then, x (x+1) = 19 * (19+1)
So, x = 19
Ans: A
Retired Moderator
Joined: 10 Apr 2015
Posts: 6218
Own Kudos [?]: 12225 [3]
Given Kudos: 136
Send PM
Re: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#permalink]
3
Column A: If the net income = 0, then x² + x - 380 = 0
Let's solve this equation by factoring: (x + 20)(x - 19) = 0
So, x = -20 or x = 19
Since x (the number of items sold) cannot be NEGATIVE, we can be certain that x = 19
So, Column A = 19
Column B = 10

Correct answer:
Show: ::
A


Cheers,
Brent
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 27 Sep 2017
Posts: 110
Own Kudos [?]: 82 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#permalink]
First of all, we had to know that items can NOT be negative.

Then, for the net income \(x^{2}\) + x - 380 to be 0. We can do the factorization (x+20)(x-19). We get x=19 or -20.

since items can not be negative. Quant A is 20 which is bigger than Quant B (10).
avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 19 Feb 2020
Posts: 28
Own Kudos [?]: 1 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#permalink]
Thank you
Intern
Intern
Joined: 01 May 2021
Posts: 49
Own Kudos [?]: 37 [1]
Given Kudos: 2
Send PM
Re: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#permalink]
1
put x = 10 (10 is taken from RHS)
then it shows that LHS= 10^2+10-380= -270
"-ve" sign shows that "x" should be increases to make the difference zero.
therefore LHS>10.
Note: if we go below the value of 10, suppose x=9, LHS becomes 9^2+9-380= -290, difference is increasing. and x can not be negative as x=-10 means negative product sold which is not real.
User avatar
GRE Prep Club Legend
GRE Prep Club Legend
Joined: 07 Jan 2021
Posts: 5090
Own Kudos [?]: 76 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#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: A retail business has determined that its net income, in ter [#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