If a & b are positive integers, , is a/b a terminating decimal number?

Question

i) b is a factor of 50

ii) b/a is an integer

chetan2u · Answer

If a & b are positive integers, , is a/b a terminating decimal number?

i) b is a factor of 50
So denominator will have 1,2,5,10,25,50 and each of them will result in terminating decimal, as any power of 2 and 5 or multiples of just 2 and 5 leave a terminating decimal
Sufficient

ii) b/a is an integer
If a=2 and b=4... Yes
If a =2 and b=6... No
Insufficient

A

ShankSouljaBoi · Answer

Had a not been a positive inteer, E would have been correct.
Missed it ! @

JiddiHuMain · Answer

If a and b are positive integers, is a/b a terminating decimal number?

(1) b is a factor of 50.

(2) b/a is an integer.

Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
Both statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.
Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.

LevanKhukhunashvili · Answer

For a/b to be a terminating decimal, in reduced fraction a/b, b must contain twos or fives

1) b is a factor of 50 -->  5^2*2  SUfficient
2) b can be other integers than 2 or 5. Not sufficient

IMO
ans:  A

TestPrepUnlimited · Answer

Analyzing the question: 
This only depends on b. If b has prime factors such as 3, 7, 11 etc it is not terminating. In other words, if b has only prime factors of 2 and 5 then a/b is terminating.

Statement 1: 
Prime factors of 50 include only 2 and 5. Dividing integers by 2 or 5 do not cause any repeating decimals, so the integers still terminate. Sufficient.

Statement 2: 
This tells us the prime factors of  a  include only 2 and 5 but since we want to know something on  b  this is insufficient.

Ans: A

QuantMadeEasy · Answer

To get a terminating decimal, the denominator must be must be contain 2 or 5 or both.
(1) b will be either 2 or 5 or both. Sufficient
(2) value of b is not provided. Insufficient

A is correct.

utkarsh0892 · Answer

Posted from my mobile device

Hi chetan,

Since there's no condition giver here for a and b, and if we consider a=b here...the answer would be "1",which is terminating but not decimal... isn't it?
..in that case it won't be terminating decimal here. 
So isn't E the correct answer?

utkarsh0892 · Answer

IMO :E

Since it is not mentioned here that a can't be b. So this possibility renders us with fact that a/b is terminating but non decimal.

Hence E is correct answer choice.

Posted from my mobile device

bumpbot · Answer

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.

If a & b are positive integers, , is a/b a terminating decimal number?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Data Sufficiency (DS) Questions

If a & b are positive integers, , is a/b a terminating decimal number?

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards