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
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Which is greater x or y
[#permalink]
21 Feb 2018, 03:28
21 Feb 2018, 03:28
Expert Reply
2
Bookmarks
00:00
Question Stats:
90% (00:55) correct
9% (00:40) wrong based on 147 sessions
Hide Show timer Statistics
Attachment:
GRE - powerprep compare the lengths of two sides in different triangles.jpg [ 45.18 KiB | Viewed 18606 times ]
Quantity A |
Quantity B |
\(x\) |
\(y\) |
A)The quantity in Column A is greater.
B)The quantity in Column B is greater.
C)The two quantities are equal.
D)The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
Sherpa Prep Representative
Joined: 15 Jan 2018
Posts: 147
Given Kudos: 0
Re: Which is greater x or y
[#permalink]
21 Feb 2018, 22:16
21 Feb 2018, 22:16
7
Expert Reply
Don't use the pythagorean theorem on right triangles. Instead, you should memorize the most common special triangles, two of which are here. The triangle on the left can be recognized as a 30-60-90 triangle because the hypotenuse is double one of the legs. The ratio of the sides is 1-√3-2, which means x on this triangle should be 4√3.
The triangle on the right is a 45-45-90 triangle, recognizable because the two legs are the same length. The ratio of the sides is 1-1-√2, which means y on this triangle should be 4√2.
Since 4√3 is greater than 4√2, the answer is A.
The triangle on the right is a 45-45-90 triangle, recognizable because the two legs are the same length. The ratio of the sides is 1-1-√2, which means y on this triangle should be 4√2.
Since 4√3 is greater than 4√2, the answer is A.
