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# If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =

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Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 61302
If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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03 Feb 2014, 00:23
00:00

Difficulty:

5% (low)

Question Stats:

96% (00:31) correct 4% (00:44) wrong based on 711 sessions

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The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =

(A) -10
(B) - 4
(C) 0
(D) 4
(E) 10

Problem Solving
Question: 74
Category: Arithmetic Operations on rational numbers
Page: 71
Difficulty: 550

GMAT Club is introducing a new project: The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition - Quantitative Questions Project

Each week we'll be posting several questions from The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition and then after couple of days we'll provide Official Answer (OA) to them along with a slution.

We'll be glad if you participate in development of this project:
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3. Please vote for the questions themselves by pressing Kudos button;
4. Please share your views on difficulty level of the questions, so that we have most precise evaluation.

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Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 61302
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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03 Feb 2014, 00:24
SOLUTION

If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =

(A) -10
(B) - 4
(C) 0
(D) 4
(E) 10

Substitute x = -1:

$$-(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =-(1-1+1-1)=0$$.

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Intern
Joined: 30 Jan 2014
Posts: 17
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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03 Feb 2014, 01:47
1
(c) a ???
Maybe you meant 0?
Intern
Status: FTW
Joined: 01 Apr 2012
Posts: 8
Location: India
GMAT Date: 09-27-2014
GPA: 3.5
WE: Consulting (Venture Capital)
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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03 Feb 2014, 08:09
1
-[(-1)^4 + (-1)^3 +(-1)^2 +(-1)^1] = (1-1+1-1) = 0
Manager
Joined: 20 Dec 2013
Posts: 220
Location: India
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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03 Feb 2014, 10:05
1
Ans should be '0' but it's not in the options.

Any -ve raised to even power will be +ve
Any -ve raised to odd power will remain -ve.

And '1' raised to any power=1 only.
Therefore, the question becomes -(1-1+1-1)=0
Manager
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Joined: 21 Mar 2011
Posts: 105
Concentration: Strategy, Technology
GMAT 1: 590 Q45 V27
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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04 Feb 2014, 01:14
1
I think there seems to be a typo error in the answer choices: 0 should be present in option C instead of a.

I am getting 0 as the answer.
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 61302
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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04 Feb 2014, 01:19
Thank you all. Edited option C. It should be 0 indeed.
_________________
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 61302
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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08 Feb 2014, 02:16
SOLUTION

If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =

(A) -10
(B) - 4
(C) 0
(D) 4
(E) 10

Substitute x = -1:

$$-(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =-(1-1+1-1)=0$$.

_________________
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Joined: 03 Jun 2019
Posts: 2005
Location: India
GMAT 1: 690 Q50 V34
WE: Engineering (Transportation)
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =  [#permalink]

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15 Sep 2019, 02:13
Bunuel wrote:
The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition

If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =

(A) -10
(B) - 4
(C) 0
(D) 4
(E) 10

Problem Solving
Question: 74
Category: Arithmetic Operations on rational numbers
Page: 71
Difficulty: 550

GMAT Club is introducing a new project: The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition - Quantitative Questions Project

Each week we'll be posting several questions from The Official Guide For GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2ND Edition and then after couple of days we'll provide Official Answer (OA) to them along with a slution.

We'll be glad if you participate in development of this project:
2. Please vote for the best solutions by pressing Kudos button;
3. Please vote for the questions themselves by pressing Kudos button;
4. Please share your views on difficulty level of the questions, so that we have most precise evaluation.

Thank you!

Given: x = -1

Asked: -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) = ?

-(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) = - (1-1+1-1) = 0

IMO C
Re: If x = -1, then -(x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x) =   [#permalink] 15 Sep 2019, 02:13
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