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Bumping for review and further discussion*. Get a kudos point for an alternative solution!

*New project from GMAT Club!!! Check HERE

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Hi Bunuel

What is wrong in the following approach

1) Insufficient
The vertex of parabola is (2,-5) --> the vertex is in the IV quadrant: if the parabola is downward it'll have negative y-intercept, but if it's upward then it can have positive as well as negative y-intercept. Not sufficient

I was thinking from option 2 we can find the product of the roots and sum of the roots
product of roots = c/a = -12

and sum of roots = -b/a = 4

hence come up with an equation y = x^2-4x-12

and from the question stem we have that it intercepts at 0,y

Putting x = 0 we get y = -12 (negative) and B alone is sufficient .
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sr2013
Hi Bunuel

What is wrong in the following approach

1) Insufficient
The vertex of parabola is (2,-5) --> the vertex is in the IV quadrant: if the parabola is downward it'll have negative y-intercept, but if it's upward then it can have positive as well as negative y-intercept. Not sufficient

I was thinking from option 2 we can find the product of the roots and sum of the roots
product of roots = c/a = -12

and sum of roots = -b/a = 4

hence come up with an equation y = x^2-4x-12

and from the question stem we have that it intercepts at 0,y

Putting x = 0 we get y = -12 (negative) and B alone is sufficient .

How did you get y=x^2-4x-12 from c/a=-12 and -b/a=4? You cannot solve c/a=-12 and -b/a=4 to get unique values of a, b, and c.

For example if a=2, c=-12, and b=-4 you'll get 2x^2-24x-8=0:
Attachment:
MSP2141ga1ih773ii7e3di00002h2000h2fiibia6c.gif
MSP2141ga1ih773ii7e3di00002h2000h2fiibia6c.gif [ 3.51 KiB | Viewed 14961 times ]

If a=-1, c=12, and b=4 you'll get -x^2+4x+12=0:
Attachment:
MSP24971d0ia65iig79i4gg000037eb4cg662i7adih.gif
MSP24971d0ia65iig79i4gg000037eb4cg662i7adih.gif [ 3.44 KiB | Viewed 14980 times ]

Or in other words infinitely many parabolas have x intercepts at -2 and 6. You cannot get unique equation only from that info.
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Bunuel
sr2013
Hi Bunuel

What is wrong in the following approach

1) Insufficient
The vertex of parabola is (2,-5) --> the vertex is in the IV quadrant: if the parabola is downward it'll have negative y-intercept, but if it's upward then it can have positive as well as negative y-intercept. Not sufficient

I was thinking from option 2 we can find the product of the roots and sum of the roots
product of roots = c/a = -12

and sum of roots = -b/a = 4

hence come up with an equation y = x^2-4x-12

and from the question stem we have that it intercepts at 0,y

Putting x = 0 we get y = -12 (negative) and B alone is sufficient .

How did you get y=x^2-4x-12 from c/a=-12 and -b/a=4? You cannot solve c/a=-12 and -b/a=4 to get unique values of a, b, and c.

For example if a=2, c=-12, and b=-4 you'll get 2x^2-24x-8=0:
Attachment:
MSP2141ga1ih773ii7e3di00002h2000h2fiibia6c.gif

If a=-1, c=12, and b=4 you'll get -x^2+4x+12=0:
Attachment:
MSP24971d0ia65iig79i4gg000037eb4cg662i7adih.gif

Or in other words infinitely many parabolas have x intercepts at -2 and 6. You cannot get unique equation only from that info.


Hi Bunuel

I have tried solving it using standard expressions for parabola
For parabola y= ax2+ bx+ c, standard vertex is located at point (-\frac{b}{2a}, c-\frac{b^2}{4a}).

From a) we know the value of vertex as (2,-5)
by putting the value in standard vertex we can get c=-4
it is also given in the question stem that parabola intersects y axis at (0,y)
from this we can get the value of y as -4. which is sufficient to answer the question.

Please let me know whats wrong with this approach.
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kd1989
Bunuel
sr2013
Hi Bunuel

What is wrong in the following approach

1) Insufficient
The vertex of parabola is (2,-5) --> the vertex is in the IV quadrant: if the parabola is downward it'll have negative y-intercept, but if it's upward then it can have positive as well as negative y-intercept. Not sufficient

I was thinking from option 2 we can find the product of the roots and sum of the roots
product of roots = c/a = -12

and sum of roots = -b/a = 4

hence come up with an equation y = x^2-4x-12

and from the question stem we have that it intercepts at 0,y

Putting x = 0 we get y = -12 (negative) and B alone is sufficient .

How did you get y=x^2-4x-12 from c/a=-12 and -b/a=4? You cannot solve c/a=-12 and -b/a=4 to get unique values of a, b, and c.

For example if a=2, c=-12, and b=-4 you'll get 2x^2-24x-8=0:
Attachment:
MSP2141ga1ih773ii7e3di00002h2000h2fiibia6c.gif

If a=-1, c=12, and b=4 you'll get -x^2+4x+12=0:
Attachment:
MSP24971d0ia65iig79i4gg000037eb4cg662i7adih.gif

Or in other words infinitely many parabolas have x intercepts at -2 and 6. You cannot get unique equation only from that info.


Hi Bunuel

I have tried solving it using standard expressions for parabola
For parabola y= ax2+ bx+ c, standard vertex is located at point (-\frac{b}{2a}, c-\frac{b^2}{4a}).

From a) we know the value of vertex as (2,-5)
by putting the value in standard vertex we can get c=-4
it is also given in the question stem that parabola intersects y axis at (0,y)
from this we can get the value of y as -4. which is sufficient to answer the question.

Please let me know whats wrong with this approach.


The post you are quoting has an answer to your question. You cannot solve for c.

P.S. Please read this: rules-for-posting-please-read-this-before-posting-133935.html#p1096628 (Writing Mathematical Formulas on the Forum)
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ruchi857
In the xy plane,a parabola intersects with axis-y at point (0,y). is y<0?

1. The vertex of the parabola is (2,-5)
2. The parabola intersects with axis X at point (-2,0) and (6,0)


A parabola has a vertex and a similar curve on both sides..
the vertex can be MIN or MAX value depending on the way parabola opens up...


1. The vertex of the parabola is (2,-5)
we know vertex lies below the x-axis, but --
a) if it opens upwards- the intersect with y-axis can be either below x-axis or above it..
b) if it opens downwards- the intersect with y-axis will be below x-axis ..
Insuff

2. The parabola intersects with axis X at point (-2,0) and (6,0)
we know vertex would lie at (-2+6)/2 = 2 as x, BUT we cannot determine if VERTEX is above or below x-axis..
whereever vertex lies, the intersect will lie on that point ..

since the curve moves from 2 to -2 in that Quadrant -

a) if it opens upwards- the intersect with y-axis will be below x axis, as the vertex will be below x-axis..
b) if it opens downwards- the intersect with y-axis will be above x-axis, as the vertex will be above x-axis ..

combined-
statement I tells us that the vertex is below the x-axis and statement II tells us that if vertex is below x- axis the intersect is also below x-axis..
so y<0..
Suff
C
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