Last visit was: 29 Apr 2026, 11:37 It is currently 29 Apr 2026, 11:37
Home
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Close
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
Your Progress

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
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
Sub 505 (Easy)|   Algebra|      
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 29 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,975
Own Kudos:
811,964
Given Kudos: 105,948
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,975
Kudos: 811,964
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then l/l + 4 + 3/l + 3 = 27 Feb 2019, 23:52
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
00:00
Start Timer
Pause Timer
Resume Timer
Show Answer
Hide
Show
History
E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

5% (low)

Question Stats:

88% (01:16) correct 12% (01:28) wrong based on 68 sessions

History

Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then \(\frac{l}{l + 4} + \frac{3}{l + 3} =\)


A. 1

B. \(\frac{7}{l + 4}\)

C. \(\frac{l+3}{2l + 7}\)

D. \(\frac{3l}{(l + 4)(l + 2)}\)

E. \(\frac{l^2 + 6l + 12}{(l + 4)(l + 3)}\)
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
E
User avatar
Archit3110
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 18 Aug 2017
Last visit: 29 Apr 2026
Posts: 8,636
Own Kudos:
5,192
Given Kudos: 243
Status:You learn more from failure than from success.
Location: India
Concentration: Sustainability, Marketing
GMAT Focus 1: 545 Q79 V79 DI73
GMAT Focus 2: 645 Q83 V82 DI81
GPA: 4
WE:Marketing (Energy)
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
GMAT Focus 2: 645 Q83 V82 DI81
Posts: 8,636
Kudos: 5,192
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then l/l + 4 + 3/l + 3 = 28 Feb 2019, 06:04
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then \(\frac{l}{l + 4} + \frac{3}{l + 3} =\)


A. 1

B. \(\frac{7}{l + 4}\)

C. \(\frac{l+3}{2l + 7}\)

D. \(\frac{3l}{(l + 4)(l + 2)}\)

E. \(\frac{l^2 + 6l + 12}{(l + 4)(l + 3)}\)
Show more


solve for the given fractions
we get
\(\frac{l^2 + 6l + 12}{(l + 4)(l + 3)}\)
IMO E
User avatar
ckadams
User avatar
Joined: 18 Jul 2018
Last visit: 08 Jan 2020
Posts: 4
Own Kudos:
5
 [1]
Given Kudos: 26
Posts: 4
Kudos: 5
 [1]
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then l/l + 4 + 3/l + 3 = 28 Feb 2019, 15:01
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then \(\frac{l}{l + 4} + \frac{3}{l + 3} =\)


A. 1

B. \(\frac{7}{l + 4}\)

C. \(\frac{l+3}{2l + 7}\)

D. \(\frac{3l}{(l + 4)(l + 2)}\)

E. \(\frac{l^2 + 6l + 12}{(l + 4)(l + 3)}\)
Show more

This one becomes relatively simple if you plug in 1 for the variable l.

If you plug in 1, the answer to the addition question is \(\frac{19}{20}\)

You can quickly eliminate answer A and B, since they clearly do not equal \(\frac{19}{20}\)
Answer E is the most logical choice to try next, because you know that you must have 19 in the numerator (at glance you can see that the numerators C and D
will not amount to 19).

BAM!
\(\frac{1^2 + 6(1) + 12}{(1+ 4)(1 + 3)}\)=\(\frac{1+6+12}{(5)(4)}\) =\(\frac{19}{20}\)

Answer: E
________
Kudo if you like it...
Critique is welcome. I am trying to learn too!!
Warm Regards,
Rumi
User avatar
ccooley
User avatar
Manhattan Prep Instructor
Joined: 04 Dec 2015
Last visit: 06 Jun 2020
Posts: 931
Own Kudos:
1,658
Given Kudos: 115
GMAT 1: 790 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 790 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Posts: 931
Kudos: 1,658
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then l/l + 4 + 3/l + 3 = 28 Feb 2019, 18:07
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
ckadams
Bunuel
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then \(\frac{l}{l + 4} + \frac{3}{l + 3} =\)


A. 1

B. \(\frac{7}{l + 4}\)

C. \(\frac{l+3}{2l + 7}\)

D. \(\frac{3l}{(l + 4)(l + 2)}\)

E. \(\frac{l^2 + 6l + 12}{(l + 4)(l + 3)}\)

This one becomes relatively simple if you plug in 1 for the variable l.
Show more

Nice! It's also possible to plug in 0 for the variable \(l\).

In that case, the original value is 0/4 + 3/3 = 1.

Go through the answer choices, plugging in 0:

(A) 1 - could be correct
(B) 7/4 - wrong
(C) 3/7 - wrong
(D) 0 / something - wrong, because it'll come out to be 0
(E) 12/12 = 1 - could be correct

Of the two options (A) and (E), I'm going to choose (E) for sure, because I don't think the value of the expression will always come out to be the same no matter what I choose for l!
User avatar
ScottTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Last visit: 29 Apr 2026
Posts: 22,299
Own Kudos:
26,553
Given Kudos: 302
Status:Founder & CEO
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Location: United States (CA)
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 22,299
Kudos: 26,553
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then l/l + 4 + 3/l + 3 = 04 Mar 2019, 20:07
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If l is not equal to −3 or −4, then \(\frac{l}{l + 4} + \frac{3}{l + 3} =\)


A. 1

B. \(\frac{7}{l + 4}\)

C. \(\frac{l+3}{2l + 7}\)

D. \(\frac{3l}{(l + 4)(l + 2)}\)

E. \(\frac{l^2 + 6l + 12}{(l + 4)(l + 3)}\)
Show more

Getting a common denominator of (l + 3)(l + 4), we have:

(l + 3)/(l + 3) x l/(l + 4) + (l + 4)/(l + 4) x 3/(l + 3)

(l^2 + 3l)/[(l + 3)(l + 4)] + (3l + 12)/[(l + 3)(l + 4)]

(l^2 + 6l + 12)/[(l + 3)(l + 4)]

Alternate Solution:

We notice that the given expression l/(l + 4) + 3/(l + 3) becomes 1 at l = 0. Therefore, we can eliminate answer choices B, C and D. To decide between answer choices A and E, let’s look at the value of l/(l + 4) + 3/(l + 3) at l = 1. Notice that we don’t need to evaluate the expression, we only need to notice that at l = 1, the given expression becomes 1/5 + 3/4, which is clearly not equal to 1. Therefore, we can eliminate answer choice A as well. The only remaining choice is E.

Answer: E
Moderators:
Bunuel
Math Expert
109974 posts
Krunaal
Tuck School Moderator
852 posts