GMAT Changed on April 16th - Read about the latest changes here

 It is currently 26 Apr 2018, 02:43

### 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

# In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent

Author Message
TAGS:

### Hide Tags

Manager
Joined: 09 Nov 2012
Posts: 65
In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

15 Oct 2013, 08:17
4
KUDOS
32
This post was
BOOKMARKED
00:00

Difficulty:

95% (hard)

Question Stats:

46% (01:40) correct 54% (01:40) wrong based on 609 sessions

### HideShow timer Statistics

ABC
+BCB
CDD

In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent the nonzero digits of three 3-digit numbers. What is the largest possible value of the product of A and B ?

A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 14
E. 18
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4675
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

15 Oct 2013, 11:47
14
KUDOS
Expert's post
12
This post was
BOOKMARKED
saintforlife wrote:
ABC
+BCB
CDD

In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent the nonzero digits of three 3-digit numbers. What is the largest possible value of the product of A and B ?

A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 14
E. 18

I'm happy to help with this.
First, look at the one's column. C + B produces a one's unit of D, and we don't know whether anything carries to the ten's place.
But now, look at the ten's place --- B + C again produces a digit of D --- that tells us definitively that nothing carried, and that B + C = D. B & C have a single digit number as a sum.
Now, C = A + B, because again, in the hundreds column, nothing carries here.

Notice that, since C = A + B and D = B + C, B must be smaller than both B and C. We want to make the product of A & B large, so we want to make those individual digits large. Well, if we make B large, then that makes C large, and then B + C would quickly become more than a one-digit sum, which is not allowed. Think about it this way. Let's just assume D = 9, the maximum value.
D = 9 = B + C = B + (A + B) = A + 2B
We want to pick A & B such that A + 2B = 9 and A*B is a maximum. It makes sense that B would be smaller.
Try A = 7, B = 1. Then A + 2B = 9 and A*B = 7
Try A = 5, B = 2. Then A + 2B = 9 and A*B = 10
Try A = 3, B = 3. Then A + 2B = 9 and A*B = 9
Try A = 1, B = 4. Then A + 2B = 9 and A*B = 4
Indeed, as B gets bigger, the product gets less. This seems to imply that the biggest possible product is 10. This corresponds to A = 5, B = 2, C = 7, and D = 9, and the original addition problem becomes
527
+272
799
Thus, the maximum product is 10, and answer = (B).

Does all this make sense?
Mike
_________________

Mike McGarry
Magoosh Test Prep

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)

Manager
Joined: 09 Nov 2012
Posts: 65
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

23 Oct 2013, 16:44
2
KUDOS
How do we do all that in less than 2 mins, is my only question

Posted from my mobile device
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4675
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

23 Oct 2013, 16:54
6
KUDOS
Expert's post
saintforlife wrote:
How do we do all that in less than 2 mins, is my only question

Dear Saint For Life,
Problems such as this are quite out-of-the-box. To some extent, the GMAT intends us to handle many of the other questions in 90 secs or less, so that we have a bit of a time-cushion when we run into one of these oddball questions.

Having said that, the more familiar you are with number properties, the faster it will go. In this problem, it took me quite some time to write out everything in verbal form, but I saw things relatively quickly. As you practice seeing patterns, you will see them more quickly, even if they are hard to explain to someone else. You may find this post helpful:
http://magoosh.com/gmat/2013/how-to-do- ... th-faster/

Mike
_________________

Mike McGarry
Magoosh Test Prep

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)

Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 44669
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

24 Oct 2013, 00:13
4
KUDOS
Expert's post
3
This post was
BOOKMARKED
saintforlife wrote:
ABC
+BCB
CDD

In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent the nonzero digits of three 3-digit numbers. What is the largest possible value of the product of A and B ?

A. 8
B. 10
C. 12
D. 14
E. 18

Similar questions to practice:
tough-tricky-set-of-problems-85211.html#p638336

Hope it helps
_________________
Intern
Joined: 16 Jun 2013
Posts: 16
GMAT 1: 540 Q34 V30
GMAT 2: 700 Q43 V42
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent the [#permalink]

### Show Tags

26 Oct 2013, 22:47
2
KUDOS
... got E as an answer. However, it took me 6 minutes, since I plugged in the answer options.
Is there any faster way, or am I just too slow in back-solving?

TirthankarP wrote:

In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent the nonzero digits of three 3-digit numbers. What is the largest possible value of the product of A and B ?
A) 8
B) 10
C) 12
D) 14
E) 18

My explanation:

According to the question stem C+B=D and D<10, since the second addition (2nd column) is C+B=D again (if there were a carry, the second column's result would not be D again), and A+B=C
Now I break up the answer options:
A) A*B=8, so A and B -> 2 and 4 or 1 and 8. A+B=2+4=6=C, C+B=6+2=8=D, which is smaller than 10, thus the answer is not "out", but there could be a larger possible value of A*B
B) A*B=10, so A and B -> 2 and 5. A+B=2+5=7=C, C+B=7+2=9=D, which is smaller than 10, thus the is also possible. Let's look for the next options.
For C-E:
C) A*B=12, so A and B -> 6 and or 4 and 3.
D) A*B=14, so A and -> 7 and 2.
E) A*B=18, so A and B -> 9 and 2 or 3 and 6.
Do the same process with those numbers and you will find that all will yield a sum of C+B>10, thus the constraint of D<10 is not satisfied. The answer options are not possible.
Because 10>8 answer option B) is the largest possible.
Manager
Joined: 29 Apr 2013
Posts: 98
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
GMAT Date: 11-06-2013
WE: Programming (Telecommunications)
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent the [#permalink]

### Show Tags

27 Oct 2013, 01:04
Chiranjeevee wrote:
TirthankarP wrote:
Attachment:

In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent the nonzero digits of three 3-digit numbers. What is the largest possible value of the product of A and B ?
A) 8
B) 10
C) 12
D) 14
E) 18

I do a thorough search before posting any new question. But this time I couldn't find this link
Forum moderator may delete this thread
_________________

Do not forget to hit the Kudos button on your left if you find my post helpful

Collection of some good questions on Number System

Current Student
Joined: 31 Mar 2013
Posts: 69
Location: India
GPA: 3.02
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Dec 2013, 11:19
6
KUDOS
1
This post was
BOOKMARKED
saintforlife wrote:
How do we do all that in less than 2 mins, is my only question :)

Posted from my mobile device

This problem can be solved much faster if you start with the options. As Mike has wonderfully explained, none of the digits will have a carry over.

Option E is $$18 = 9 * 2$$(no other case is possible). Now$$9+2>=10$$. Therefore, it will have a carry over digit 1. So reject this option.

Option D is $$14 = 7 * 2$$(no other case is possible). Since $$C=A+B$$, therefore $$C= 9$$. Since $$C=9$$ and $$B$$ is a non zero digit, $$C+B>=10$$. Therefore, it will have a carry over digit 1. So reject this option.

Option C is 12. This will have 2 cases-
$$Case 1--> 12 = 4 * 3$$

Here $$C= 4+3=7$$. Now $$7+4>=10$$ and [$$7+3>=10$$. Therefore, both cases will have a carry over digit 1. So reject this option.

(OR) $$Case 2--> 6 * 2$$.

Here $$C= 6+2=8$$. Now $$8+2>=10$$ and $$8+6>=10$$. Therefore, both cases will have a carry over digit 1. So reject this option.

Option B is $$10 = 5 * 2$$. If you follow the same set of steps you'll notice that there will not be any carry over digit for the case $$C=7, A=5, B=2$$. So right answer!

Retired Moderator
Joined: 18 Sep 2014
Posts: 1183
Location: India
In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

01 Jul 2015, 08:02
HKHR wrote:
saintforlife wrote:
How do we do all that in less than 2 mins, is my only question :)

Posted from my mobile device

This problem can be solved much faster if you start with the options. As Mike has wonderfully explained, none of the digits will have a carry over.

Option E is $$18 = 9 * 2$$(no other case is possible). Now$$9+2>=10$$. Therefore, it will have a carry over digit 1. So reject this option.

Option D is $$14 = 7 * 2$$(no other case is possible). Since $$C=A+B$$, therefore $$C= 9$$. Since $$C=9$$ and $$B$$ is a non zero digit, $$C+B>=10$$. Therefore, it will have a carry over digit 1. So reject this option.

Option C is 12. This will have 2 cases-
$$Case 1--> 12 = 4 * 3$$

Here $$C= 4+3=7$$. Now $$7+4>=10$$ and [$$7+3>=10$$. Therefore, both cases will have a carry over digit 1. So reject this option.

(OR) $$Case 2--> 6 * 2$$.

Here $$C= 6+2=8$$. Now $$8+2>=10$$ and $$8+6>=10$$. Therefore, both cases will have a carry over digit 1. So reject this option.

Option B is $$10 = 5 * 2$$. If you follow the same set of steps you'll notice that there will not be any carry over digit for the case $$C=7, A=5, B=2$$. So right answer!

Wonderful explanation. Just thought to add some more from my side. As we see only B satisfies all the necessary requirement(not to carry over any digits).

In option A, taking A=4 and B=2 also satisfies the condition as it is something like
426
+262
-------
688

But since we need maximum value well go for option B
_________________

The only time you can lose is when you give up. Try hard and you will suceed.
Thanks = Kudos. Kudos are appreciated

http://gmatclub.com/forum/rules-for-posting-in-verbal-gmat-forum-134642.html
When you post a question Pls. Provide its source & TAG your questions
Avoid posting from unreliable sources.

My posts
http://gmatclub.com/forum/beauty-of-coordinate-geometry-213760.html#p1649924
http://gmatclub.com/forum/calling-all-march-april-gmat-takers-who-want-to-cross-213154.html
http://gmatclub.com/forum/possessive-pronouns-200496.html
http://gmatclub.com/forum/double-negatives-206717.html
http://gmatclub.com/forum/the-greatest-integer-function-223595.html#p1721773

Intern
Joined: 26 May 2017
Posts: 4
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

30 Nov 2017, 19:03
Dear Mike, I was wondering why are we maximising D since it no where mentioned to do so. We have to maximise A*B right so if we choose C=1 and B=5 and A=4 i think we staisfy all conditions and our product of A*B (5*4) comes to be 20. Dont know where i am going wrong. Kindly help
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
Joined: 28 Dec 2011
Posts: 4675
Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent [#permalink]

### Show Tags

01 Dec 2017, 14:54
1
KUDOS
Expert's post
Sarthak.bhatt wrote:
Dear Mike, I was wondering why are we maximising D since it no where mentioned to do so. We have to maximise A*B right so if we choose C=1 and B=5 and A=4 i think we staisfy all conditions and our product of A*B (5*4) comes to be 20. Dont know where i am going wrong. Kindly help

Dear Sarthak.bhatt,

I'm happy to respond.

With all due respect, my friend, you are not interpreting the question correctly. There is absolutely no multiplication happening in this question. Here's the prompt again:

ABC
+BCB
CDD

In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent
the nonzero digits of three 3-digit numbers. What is the largest possible value of the product of A and B ?

Thus, for example if C = 1, B = 5, and A = 4, then ABC would not be the product of those three numbers but instead the single three-digit number 451. With those numbers, the problem would be

451
+515
966

These choices satisfy the equation.

The problem is completely different from the way you were conceptualizing it, so the strategy is completely different from what it would be in the problem you had in mind.

Does this make sense?

Mike
_________________

Mike McGarry
Magoosh Test Prep

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)

Re: In the addition shown above, A, B, C, and D represent   [#permalink] 01 Dec 2017, 14:54
Display posts from previous: Sort by