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# If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be

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If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  03 Sep 2012, 04:49
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If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be true?

(A) a > 0
(B) b > 0
(C) ab > 0
(D) a-b > 0
(E) a+b > 0

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Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  03 Sep 2012, 04:49
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SOLUTION

If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be true?

(A) a > 0
(B) b > 0
(C) ab > 0
(D) a-b > 0
(E) a+b > 0

$$\frac{a}{b}>0$$ means $$a$$ and $$b$$ have the same sign, either both are negative or both are positive. Thus, their product will also be positive: $$ab>0$$.

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Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  03 Sep 2012, 05:10
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a and be must have the same sign. Either both are positive or both are negative.

When multiplying a*b, the result will therefore be positive.

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Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  05 Sep 2012, 06:14
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I think the best approach in such questions is to plug in numbers Since the question asks about must be true then any numbers should qualify, if a/b is positive then a and b have the same sign so a*b must be positive. (C)
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Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  05 Sep 2012, 18:55
4
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a/b implies a and b have the same sign.

a<0 AND b<0

or

a>0 AND b>0

A. a>0 does not have to be true, a can be negative
B. b>0 does not have to be true, b can be negative
C. ab>0, has to be true since a AND b have the same sign
D. a-b>0 does not have to be true since a AND b can be negative and the result of a-b can be negative
E. a+b>0 does not have to be true since a AND b can be negative and the result of a+b can be negative

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Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  07 Sep 2012, 02:14
Expert's post
SOLUTION

If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be true?

(A) a > 0
(B) b > 0
(C) ab > 0
(D) a-b > 0
(E) a+b > 0

$$\frac{a}{b}>0$$ means $$a$$ and $$b$$ have the same sign, either both are negative or both are positive. Thus, their product will also be positive: $$ab>0$$.

Kudos points given to everyone with correct solution. Let me know if I missed someone.
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Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  14 Jun 2013, 18:23
Hi Bunuel,
what if a=0;b=2. we have a/b as positive
as a result ab = 0. C fails.(:D is this some kind of miss in the question or Am i missing my basics here)

Tx

Bunuel wrote:
SOLUTION

If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be true?

(A) a > 0
(B) b > 0
(C) ab > 0
(D) a-b > 0
(E) a+b > 0

$$\frac{a}{b}>0$$ means $$a$$ and $$b$$ have the same sign, either both are negative or both are positive. Thus, their product will also be positive: $$ab>0$$.

Kudos points given to everyone with correct solution. Let me know if I missed someone.
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 31299
Followers: 5356

Kudos [?]: 62350 [0], given: 9454

Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  14 Jun 2013, 23:56
Expert's post
p111 wrote:
Hi Bunuel,
what if a=0;b=2. we have a/b as positive
as a result ab = 0. C fails.(:D is this some kind of miss in the question or Am i missing my basics here)

Tx

Bunuel wrote:
SOLUTION

If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be true?

(A) a > 0
(B) b > 0
(C) ab > 0
(D) a-b > 0
(E) a+b > 0

$$\frac{a}{b}>0$$ means $$a$$ and $$b$$ have the same sign, either both are negative or both are positive. Thus, their product will also be positive: $$ab>0$$.

Kudos points given to everyone with correct solution. Let me know if I missed someone.

If a=0 and b=2, then a/b=0. 0 is neither positive nor negative.

For more check here: math-number-theory-88376.html#p666609

Hope it helps.
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Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  29 Jun 2014, 05:28
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

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If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  10 Jul 2014, 01:35
For $$\frac{a}{b} > 0$$, I took help of numbers:

$$\frac{6}{3} = 2 & \frac{-6}{-3} = 2$$

Checking all options:

A: a>0 ............ Fail for a = -6; b = -3

B: b>0 ............... Fail for a = -6; b = -3

C: ab>0 ................ OK for both (6*3 = 18 & -6 * -3 = 18)

D: a-b > 0 ........... Fail for a = -6; b = -3

E: a+b > 0 ........... Fail for a = -6; b = -3

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Re: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be [#permalink]  26 Aug 2015, 04:23
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT 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: If the quotient a/b positive, which of the following must be   [#permalink] 26 Aug 2015, 04:23
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