Find all School-related info fast with the new School-Specific MBA Forum

 It is currently 28 Aug 2016, 23:33

### GMAT 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

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

Practice
Pays

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

# Events & Promotions

###### Events & Promotions in June
Open Detailed Calendar

# If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x =

Author Message
TAGS:

### Hide Tags

Manager
Joined: 21 Jul 2010
Posts: 56
Followers: 1

Kudos [?]: 18 [0], given: 3

If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x = [#permalink]

### Show Tags

22 Dec 2010, 17:28
2
This post was
BOOKMARKED
00:00

Difficulty:

5% (low)

Question Stats:

79% (01:37) correct 21% (00:39) wrong based on 164 sessions

### HideShow timer Statistics

If $$y\frac{3x-5}{2}=y$$ and y is different from 0, then $$x=$$

A) $$\frac{2}{3}$$
B) $$\frac{5}{3}$$
C) $$\frac{7}{3}$$
D) 1
E) 4

Reasoning, see the spoiler part:

[Reveal] Spoiler:
I got it wrong because when I did the calculation I swapped y on the right hand side to the left hand side to get $$(3x-5)/2=0$$ and then obviously I got the answer B rather than the OA C. I understand the OA however I would like to ask my silly question, which is why can I not do the way I did it. Is it wrong? It must be but WHY?

OPEN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION IS HERE: if-y-3x-5-2-y-and-y-0-then-x-143491.html
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA
Ms. Big Fat Panda
Status: Three Down.
Joined: 09 Jun 2010
Posts: 1922
Concentration: General Management, Nonprofit
Followers: 439

Kudos [?]: 1887 [1] , given: 210

Re: If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x = [#permalink]

### Show Tags

22 Dec 2010, 17:39
1
KUDOS
1
This post was
BOOKMARKED
Burnkeal wrote:
if $$y\frac{3x-5}{2}=y$$ and y is different from 0, then $$x=$$
A) $$\frac{2}{3}$$
B) $$\frac{5}{3}$$
C) $$\frac{7}{3}$$
D) 1
E) 4

Reasoning, see the spoiler part:

[Reveal] Spoiler:
I got it wrong because when I did the calculation I swapped y on the right hand side to the left hand side to get $$(3x-5)/2=0$$ and then obviously I got the answer B rather than the OA C. I understand the OA however I would like to ask my silly question, which is why can I not do the way I did it. Is it wrong? It must be but WHY?

Thank you for enlightening me. I searched for the topic in the forum and I could not find it. Apologise if it has been created in the past.

$$y\frac{3x-5}{2}=y$$

$$y (\frac{3x-5}{2} -1) = 0$$, and hence $$\frac{3x-5}{2} = 1$$ and hence $$x = \frac{7}{3}$$

The mistake you made was equating it to zero. If you cancel y on both sides (which you can, since its not zero), the right hand side will be 1, not 0. Hope its clear.
Manager
Joined: 21 Jul 2010
Posts: 56
Followers: 1

Kudos [?]: 18 [0], given: 3

Re: If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x = [#permalink]

### Show Tags

22 Dec 2010, 17:44
haha! I just got it. What a numb! Thanks for that. I just took Y to the other side rather than cancelling it out -____-
Ms. Big Fat Panda
Status: Three Down.
Joined: 09 Jun 2010
Posts: 1922
Concentration: General Management, Nonprofit
Followers: 439

Kudos [?]: 1887 [0], given: 210

Re: If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x = [#permalink]

### Show Tags

22 Dec 2010, 17:55
Well, technically, so did I. You just equated the wrong thing to zero
Manager
Joined: 05 Oct 2011
Posts: 171
Followers: 9

Kudos [?]: 46 [0], given: 62

Re: If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x = [#permalink]

### Show Tags

18 Nov 2011, 12:59
This Q shows how test makers create all other (wrong) answer choices. Each one is there to catch us for a particular miscalculation.
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Posts: 11119
Followers: 511

Kudos [?]: 134 [0], given: 0

Re: If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x = [#permalink]

### Show Tags

28 Sep 2015, 01:35
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).

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.
_________________
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 34476
Followers: 6288

Kudos [?]: 79784 [0], given: 10022

Re: If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x = [#permalink]

### Show Tags

28 Sep 2015, 02:57
Expert's post
1
This post was
BOOKMARKED
If $$y(\frac{3x-5}{2}) =y$$ and $$y\neq{0}$$, then x =

(A) 2/3
(B) 5/3
(C) 7/3
(D) 1
(E) 4

Since $$y\neq{0}$$, then we can reduce the equation by it: $$\frac{3x-5}{2}=1$$ --> $$3x-5=2$$ --> $$x=\frac{7}{3}$$.

OPEN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION IS HERE: if-y-3x-5-2-y-and-y-0-then-x-143491.html
_________________
Re: If y*(3x - 5)/2 = y and y is different from 0, then x =   [#permalink] 28 Sep 2015, 02:57
Similar topics Replies Last post
Similar
Topics:
If x + y = 7 and x – y = 3, then x^2 - y^2 = 4 31 Mar 2016, 00:57
1 (x^3 – y^3)(x^3 + y^3) = 2 21 Mar 2016, 07:24
16 If x and y are integers such that |y + 3| ≤ 3 and 2y – 3x + 6 = 0, 12 20 May 2015, 10:28
If y((3x-5)/2) =y and y#0, then x = 12 03 Dec 2012, 04:04
20 If x is an integer and y = 3x + 2, which of the following 13 10 Mar 2011, 07:48
Display posts from previous: Sort by