I noticed that M04 has a couple of questions around 0's and

Oldest

Best Reply

Author

Message

TAGS:

Intern

Joined: 07 Jul 2008

Posts: 12

Followers: 0

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

I noticed that M04 has a couple of questions around 0's and [#permalink]

31 Jul 2008, 01:37

I noticed that M04 has a couple of questions around 0's and I screwed them up

Here's what I know about 0's

0 = even
0 is not negative, nor is it positive
0! = 1 (for whatever reason)
0^-1 = undefined (because it is 1/0)

But what is 0^0?
Is it 1 or is it 0?

MGMAT book says
"By definition, any base raised to 0 power yields 1"
and
"Any exponent expression with a base of 0 always yields 0, regardless of exponent"

I know this may be simple for some, but I never learned this.
Thanks for your help

Manhattan GMAT Discount Codes

Kaplan GMAT Prep Discount Codes

GMAT Pill GMAT Discount Codes

GMAT Instructor

Joined: 24 Jun 2008

Posts: 973

Location: Toronto

Followers: 174

Kudos [?]: 454 [0], given: 3

Re: Number property: Zero [#permalink]

31 Jul 2008, 04:15

fwl200 wrote:

But what is 0^0?
Is it 1 or is it 0?

MGMAT book says
"By definition, any base raised to 0 power yields 1"
and
"Any exponent expression with a base of 0 always yields 0, regardless of exponent"

I know this may be simple for some, but I never learned this.
Thanks for your help

No, it's not simple even for mathematicians. There's debate about how 0^0 should be defined; some think it should be defined to be equal to 1, but normally it's considered to be undefined (because, if you know calculus, limit(x -> 0) x^0 = 1, while limit(x -> 0) 0^x = 0).

So the MGMAT book is incorrect, if you've quoted it accurately- they should leave out the case of 0^0. Not that it matters on the GMAT- you'll never encounter this exceptional case on the test.
_________________

Nov 2011: After years of development, I am now making my advanced Quant books and high-level problem sets available for sale. Contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com for details.

Private GMAT Tutor based in Toronto

Current Student

Joined: 12 Jun 2008

Posts: 290

Schools: INSEAD Class of July '10

Followers: 5

Kudos [?]: 30 [0], given: 0

Re: Number property: Zero [#permalink]

01 Aug 2008, 01:01

IanStewart wrote:

fwl200 wrote:

You are right, the number is actually undefined.

But for that matters, 0^0 is often said in maths to be equal to 1. That is what solved most of the "issues" with this number. But this is just a convention and you should never really find this in the GMAT.

Re: Number property: Zero [#permalink] 01 Aug 2008, 01:01

	Similar topics	Author	Replies	Last post
Similar Topics:	I notice that OG 11 has some CR questions presented as sets	rakesh.id	0	09 Apr 2007, 22:56
	I did some RC questions and i noticed that with the	shaselai	2	24 Jun 2009, 07:10
	m04 question	tusharvk	2	14 Nov 2009, 17:44
	Doing alot of the OG questions I notice that on rare	DAYNE	0	20 Apr 2010, 15:54
	I have noticed that I get alot of inference questions in the	agnok	0	03 Jun 2010, 07:04

I noticed that M04 has a couple of questions around 0's and

Main navigation

GMAT Resources

Partners

MBA Resources

GMAT ® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council ® (GMAC ®). GMAT Club's website has not been reviewed or endorsed by GMAC.

GMAT Courses

Admissions Consulting

I noticed that M04 has a couple of questions around 0's and

I noticed that M04 has a couple of questions around 0's and

Main navigation

GMAT Resources

Partners

MBA Resources