Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close : GMAT Data Sufficiency (DS)
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# Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close

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Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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22 Mar 2012, 02:49
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Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 10^(-4) than to 10^(-1).
(2) x is more close to 10^(-3) than to 10^(-1).
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA
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22 Mar 2012, 03:45
Not sure if this is the correct way of tackling this qns but this is how I did it.

I take all the 10^(-X) out and just take the qns as :

Which of the two values 2 and 3, is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 4 than to 1.
(2) x is more close to 3 than to 1.

If we draw a number line,

1 ---- 2 ---- 3 ---- 4 ,

statement 1 says that X is closer to 4 than 1, so, X is definitely to the right side of 2.5

1---- 2 --2.5-- 3 ---- 4
X
Statement 1 is SUFFICIENT.
Since Statement 1 is sufficient, Option B, C and E are out. Answer can only be A or D.

Statement 2 says X is closer to 3 than to 1. Which means X is larger than 2

1---- 2 ---- 3
X
(but we don't know if X is closer to 2 or 3).
Thus, Statement 2 INSUFFICIENT.

IMO, A
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22 Mar 2012, 03:50
Hi,

IMOA D

Statement 1 :
X is closer to 10^-4 thus X will be definately closer to 10^-3 than 10^-2
Thus sufficient

Statement 2 :
X is closer to 10^-3 which is sufficient

Hence D

Hope this helps
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22 Mar 2012, 04:33
boomtangboy wrote:
Hi,

IMOA D

Statement 1 :
X is closer to 10^-4 thus X will be definately closer to 10^-3 than 10^-2
Thus sufficient

Statement 2 :
X is closer to 10^-3 which is sufficient

Hence D

Hope this helps

Statement 2 does mention that X is closer to 10^-3 compared to 10^-1

Thus, in actual fact, Statement 2 could be saying that X = 10^-2.1 (which is closer to 10^-3 compared to 10^-1, but closer to 10^-2 compared to 10^-3).
At the same time, Statement 2 could be saying that X = 10^-2.9 (which is closer to 10^-3 compared to 10^-1, but closer to 10^-3 compared to 10^-2).

This was why I thought that Statement 2 was Insufficient. Hence, IMO = A
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22 Mar 2012, 05:02
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Smita04 wrote:
Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 10^(-4) than to 10^(-1).
(2) x is more close to 10^(-3) than to 10^(-1).

10^(-4), 10^(-3), 10^(-2) and 10^(-1) are positioned on the number line in the following way:

-(0,0001)-(0.001)---------(0.01)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------(0.1)-

Question asks which of the two middle numbers x is closer to.

(1) says that x closer to the first number than to the fourth, but it could be anywhere between the two middle numbers. Not sufficient.

(2) says that x closer to the second number than to the fourth, but it could be anywhere between the two middle numbers. Not sufficient.

(1)+(2) x could still be anywhere between the two middle numbers, so we cannot say which number x is more close to. Not sufficient.

P.S. You can consider easier numbers to manipulate with:

-(1)-(10)---------(100)---------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1000)-
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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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25 Jun 2013, 03:47
Bumping for review and further discussion*. Get a kudos point for an alternative solution!

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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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09 Jul 2013, 02:32
can anybody help with the above solution please.

number line = $$\frac{1}{10000}---- \frac{1}{1000} -- | --\frac{1}{100} ----\frac{1}{10}$$

(1) x is more closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{10}$$

for this to be true shouldn't x have to be to the left of the center marked as $$|$$ above and if x is the left of the center ,then shouldn't x be closer to $$\frac{1}{1000}$$than to $$\frac{1}{100}$$

I fail to see how x can be anywhere between $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ and $$\frac{1}{100}$$and still be closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{10}$$

lets say x is between $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ and $$\frac{1}{100}$$ but just slightly to the left of $$\frac{1}{100}$$, say x = $$\frac{1}{101}$$
now here x lies as shown $$\frac{1}{1000} -- | -- \frac{1}{101} --\frac{1}{100}$$ so here it looks x is between $$10^{-3}$$ and $$10 ^{-2}$$ but closer to $$\frac{1}{10},$$ so this doesn't satisfy statement 1

lets say x =$$\frac{1}{999}$$here the position of x = $$\frac{1}{10000}---- \frac{1}{1000} --\frac{1}{999} --- | --\frac{1}{100} ----\frac{1}{10}$$

so here statement 1 holds and x is closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ .

So it seems to me for statement 1 to hold x has to be to the left of the center , marked as $$|$$in the number line, and in that case x will be closer to $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{100}$$, anywhere to the right of $$|$$ and x becomes closer to $$\frac{1}{10}$$ violating statement1 , so x has to be to the left of $$|$$ for statement 1 to be true. so I am getting A as sufficient . Can anybody assist please?

thanks
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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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09 Jul 2013, 03:10
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stne wrote:
can anybody help with the above solution please.

number line = $$\frac{1}{10000}---- \frac{1}{1000} -- | --\frac{1}{100} ----\frac{1}{10}$$

(1) x is more closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{10}$$

for this to be true shouldn't x have to be to the left of the center marked as $$|$$ above and if x is the left of the center ,then shouldn't x be closer to $$\frac{1}{1000}$$than to $$\frac{1}{100}$$

I fail to see how x can be anywhere between $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ and $$\frac{1}{100}$$and still be closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{10}$$

lets say x is between $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ and $$\frac{1}{100}$$ but just slightly to the left of $$\frac{1}{100}$$, say x = $$\frac{1}{101}$$
now here x lies as shown $$\frac{1}{1000} -- | -- \frac{1}{101} --\frac{1}{100}$$ so here it looks x is between $$10^{-3}$$ and $$10 ^{-2}$$ but closer to $$\frac{1}{10},$$ so this doesn't satisfy statement 1

lets say x =$$\frac{1}{999}$$here the position of x = $$\frac{1}{10000}---- \frac{1}{1000} --\frac{1}{999} --- | --\frac{1}{100} ----\frac{1}{10}$$

so here statement 1 holds and x is closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ .

So it seems to me for statement 1 to hold x has to be to the left of the center , marked as $$|$$in the number line, and in that case x will be closer to $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{100}$$, anywhere to the right of $$|$$ and x becomes closer to $$\frac{1}{10}$$ violating statement1 , so x has to be to the left of $$|$$ for statement 1 to be true. so I am getting A as sufficient . Can anybody assist please?

thanks

Which of the two values 0.01 and 0.001, is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 0.0001 than to 0.1.
(2) x is more close to 0.001 than to 0.1.

Relative positioning on the number line might help:
Attachment:

Number line.png [ 18.55 KiB | Viewed 3961 times ]

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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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09 Jul 2013, 04:16
Bunuel wrote:
stne wrote:
can anybody help with the above solution please.

number line = $$\frac{1}{10000}---- \frac{1}{1000} -- | --\frac{1}{100} ----\frac{1}{10}$$

(1) x is more closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{10}$$

for this to be true shouldn't x have to be to the left of the center marked as $$|$$ above and if x is the left of the center ,then shouldn't x be closer to $$\frac{1}{1000}$$than to $$\frac{1}{100}$$

I fail to see how x can be anywhere between $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ and $$\frac{1}{100}$$and still be closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{10}$$

lets say x is between $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ and $$\frac{1}{100}$$ but just slightly to the left of $$\frac{1}{100}$$, say x = $$\frac{1}{101}$$
now here x lies as shown $$\frac{1}{1000} -- | -- \frac{1}{101} --\frac{1}{100}$$ so here it looks x is between $$10^{-3}$$ and $$10 ^{-2}$$ but closer to $$\frac{1}{10},$$ so this doesn't satisfy statement 1

lets say x =$$\frac{1}{999}$$here the position of x = $$\frac{1}{10000}---- \frac{1}{1000} --\frac{1}{999} --- | --\frac{1}{100} ----\frac{1}{10}$$

so here statement 1 holds and x is closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ .

So it seems to me for statement 1 to hold x has to be to the left of the center , marked as $$|$$in the number line, and in that case x will be closer to $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{100}$$, anywhere to the right of $$|$$ and x becomes closer to $$\frac{1}{10}$$ violating statement1 , so x has to be to the left of $$|$$ for statement 1 to be true. so I am getting A as sufficient . Can anybody assist please?

thanks

Which of the two values 0.01 and 0.001, is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 0.0001 than to 0.1.
(2) x is more close to 0.001 than to 0.1.

Relative positioning on the number line might help:

Thank you finally got it !
didn't realize that there was so much in between 0.00 and .02

Well if I have understood the diagram above correctly then for statement 1 to be true x need not necessarily have to be in between .001 and .01 in fact for statement 1 to hold x could also be to the left of .001 and slightly to the right of .01 as we can see from the figure,Even if x is slightly to the right of .01 and to the left of .001, x could still be closer to .00001 than to .1

is this deduction correct?

So statement 1 holds if x is anywhere in between .001 and.01 and also holds if x is left of .001 and slightly to the right of .01.
So we can see that we cannot say for sure whether x is closer to .001 or .01, hence insufficient.

Please do correct if x cannot also be slightly to the right of .01

Thank you
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Last edited by stne on 17 Aug 2013, 02:26, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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09 Jul 2013, 04:51
stne wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
stne wrote:
can anybody help with the above solution please.

number line = $$\frac{1}{10000}---- \frac{1}{1000} -- | --\frac{1}{100} ----\frac{1}{10}$$

(1) x is more closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{10}$$

for this to be true shouldn't x have to be to the left of the center marked as $$|$$ above and if x is the left of the center ,then shouldn't x be closer to $$\frac{1}{1000}$$than to $$\frac{1}{100}$$

I fail to see how x can be anywhere between $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ and $$\frac{1}{100}$$and still be closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{10}$$

lets say x is between $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ and $$\frac{1}{100}$$ but just slightly to the left of $$\frac{1}{100}$$, say x = $$\frac{1}{101}$$
now here x lies as shown $$\frac{1}{1000} -- | -- \frac{1}{101} --\frac{1}{100}$$ so here it looks x is between $$10^{-3}$$ and $$10 ^{-2}$$ but closer to $$\frac{1}{10},$$ so this doesn't satisfy statement 1

lets say x =$$\frac{1}{999}$$here the position of x = $$\frac{1}{10000}---- \frac{1}{1000} --\frac{1}{999} --- | --\frac{1}{100} ----\frac{1}{10}$$

so here statement 1 holds and x is closer to $$\frac{1}{10000}$$ .

So it seems to me for statement 1 to hold x has to be to the left of the center , marked as $$|$$in the number line, and in that case x will be closer to $$\frac{1}{1000}$$ than to $$\frac{1}{100}$$, anywhere to the right of $$|$$ and x becomes closer to $$\frac{1}{10}$$ violating statement1 , so x has to be to the left of $$|$$ for statement 1 to be true. so I am getting A as sufficient . Can anybody assist please?

thanks

Which of the two values 0.01 and 0.001, is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 0.0001 than to 0.1.
(2) x is more close to 0.001 than to 0.1.

Relative positioning on the number line might help:

Thank you finally got it !
didn't realize that there was so much in between .01 and .1

Well if I have understood the diagram above correctly then for statement 1 to be true x need not necessarily have to be in between .001 and .01 in fact for statement 1 to hold x could also be to the left of .001 and slightly to the right of .01 as we can see from the figure,Even if x is slightly to the right of .01 and to the left of .001, x could still be closer to .00001 than to .1

is this deduction correct?

So statement 1 holds if x is anywhere in between .001 and.01 and also holds if x is left of .001 and slightly to the right of .01.
So we can see that we cannot say for sure whether x is closer to .001 or .01, hence insufficient.

Please do correct if x cannot also be slightly to the right of .01

Thank you

Yes, x could be to the right of 0.01.

As, for the positioning of the points: it was also provided here: which-of-the-two-values-10-2-and-10-3-is-x-more-close-129498.html#p1063210
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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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09 Jul 2013, 08:36
Smita04 wrote:
Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 10^(-4) than to 10^(-1).
(2) x is more close to 10^(-3) than to 10^(-1).

seems obvious that A is by itself suff ( as hmyung sez) and even if you go for B actually independently 2 is correct so it shld be D as both are >2.5 and less than 3 , why woud some say E , negative exponents are like fractions ..
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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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09 Jul 2013, 08:38
docdrizzeally wrote:
Smita04 wrote:
Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 10^(-4) than to 10^(-1).
(2) x is more close to 10^(-3) than to 10^(-1).

seems obvious that A is by itself suff ( as hmyung sez) and even if you go for B actually independently 2 is correct so it shld be D as both are >2.5 and less than 3 , why woud some say E , negative exponents are like fractions ..

Please notice that the OA is E, not D.

Go through this: which-of-the-two-values-10-2-and-10-3-is-x-more-close-129498.html#p1063210 and this: which-of-the-two-values-10-2-and-10-3-is-x-more-close-129498.html#p1244446

Hope it helps.
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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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10 Jul 2013, 08:45
Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close to?
Is x closer to 10^-3 than 10-2?
Is x < (1/2)(1/100+1/1000)?
Is x < 11/2000?

1. x is more close to 10^(-4) than to 10^(-1).
x<(1/2)(1/10+1/10000)
x< (1001/20000)
This doesn't tell us if x <11/2000 since 1001/20000 > 11/2000. Not sufficient.

2. x is more close to 10^(-3) than to 10^(-1).
x<(1/2)(1/10+1/1000)
x<101/2000
Still doesn't tell us if x< 11/2000. Not sufficient.

1 and 2. 2 follows from 1 so no new information is introduced by combining them. Not sufficient. Answer is E.

My method is probably not the best way to do it because there's room for error doing the arithmetic and it may take too long on the actual test. But I don't like drawing number lines.
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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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04 Jun 2014, 13:27
Quick solution: draw a number line, plug in X = 10^(-2) and X = 10^(-3), and realize that both scenarios satisfy both statements.

Thus, even given both statements you cannot distinguish between the two most extreme cases X = 10^(-2) (where X must be closer to 10^(-2)) and X = 10^(-3) (where X must be closer to 10^(-3))

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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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04 Sep 2014, 05:55
Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close to?

(1) x is more close to 10^(-4) than to 10^(-1).
(2) x is more close to 10^(-3) than to 10^(-1).

When we draw a line between 10^(-4) and 10^(-1) and placed X, if X any side of this middle line X is belong to that side. For example X is on the side of 10^(-4) then is will be close to 10^(-3) . Because this middle line will be also same mid line between 10^(-3) and 10^(-2) . So A should be sufficient.

We can not say same issue for B. Because middle line between 10^(-3) and 10^(-1) is passing through 10^(-2). X could be placed any point between 10^(-3) and 10^(-2) and could be more close to 10^(-3) than to 10^(-2). So B is unsufficient.
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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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10 Sep 2014, 21:01

Convert everything to 10^(-4).

So the question becomes "Which of the two values 100 X 10^(-4) and 10 X 10^(-4), is x more close to?"

(1) x is more close to 1 X 10^(-4) than to 10,000 X 10^(-4).

- So X could be 55 X 10^(-4), it is closer to 1 X 10^(-4) as stat. 1 requires, but right in between 100 X 10^(-4) and 10 X 10^(-4)
- If X is 56 X 10^(-4), it is closer to 100 X 10^(-4)
- If X is 54 X 10^(-4), it is closer to 10 X 10^(-4)

- Insufficient

(2) x is more close to 10 X 10^(-4) than to 1000 X 10^(-4)
- Once again, X could be 55 X 10^(-4) and we can use the same analysis as above.

(1) + (2) - Use 55 X 10^(-4) once again, which satisfies both (1) and (2) and still not clarify whether X is closer to 100 X 10^(-4) or 10 X 10^(-4)

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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close [#permalink]

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Re: Which of the two values 10^(-2) and 10^(-3), is x more close   [#permalink] 23 Sep 2015, 08:46
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