Summer is Coming! Join the Game of Timers Competition to Win Epic Prizes. Registration is Open. Game starts Mon July 1st.

 It is currently 20 Jul 2019, 15:10

### 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

# Of the following, which is greatest?

Author Message
TAGS:

### Hide Tags

Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 56304
Of the following, which is greatest?  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

05 Jul 2018, 01:48
00:00

Difficulty:

5% (low)

Question Stats:

79% (00:36) correct 21% (00:37) wrong based on 105 sessions

### HideShow timer Statistics

Of the following, which is greatest?

A. $$(\frac{1}{5})^{(−2)}$$

B. $$(\frac{1}{3})^{(−2)}$$

C. $$3^{(−2)}$$

D. $$5^{(−2)}$$

E. $$2^3$$

_________________
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Posts: 7764
Re: Of the following, which is greatest?  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

05 Jul 2018, 02:13
Bunuel wrote:
Of the following, which is greatest?

A. $$(\frac{1}{5})^{(−2)}$$

B. $$(\frac{1}{3})^{(−2)}$$

C. $$3^{(−2)}$$

D. $$5^{(−2)}$$

E. $$2^3$$

Hi...

When there is a negative power, the numerator and denominator interchange and power becomes positive..

A. $$(\frac{1}{5})^{(−2)}=5^3=25$$

B. $$(\frac{1}{3})^{(−2)}=3^2=9$$

C. $$3^{(−2)}=(1/3)^2=1/9$$

D. $$5^{(−2)}=(1/5)^2=1/25$$

E. $$2^3=8$$

Ans A
_________________
Senior Manager
Joined: 21 Jan 2015
Posts: 459
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Marketing
GMAT 1: 620 Q48 V28
GMAT 2: 690 Q49 V35
WE: Sales (Consumer Products)
Re: Of the following, which is greatest?  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

05 Jul 2018, 02:33
Ans: A
C and D are out of the picture because they will give fraction of 1/n; so it can not be the greatest.
Out of A=25, B=9 and E=8, A is the highest for A= 25.

Bunuel wrote:
Of the following, which is greatest?

A. $$(\frac{1}{5})^{(−2)}$$

B. $$(\frac{1}{3})^{(−2)}$$

C. $$3^{(−2)}$$

D. $$5^{(−2)}$$

E. $$2^3$$

_________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The Mind is Everything, What we Think we Become.
VP
Joined: 31 Oct 2013
Posts: 1393
Concentration: Accounting, Finance
GPA: 3.68
WE: Analyst (Accounting)
Of the following, which is greatest?  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

05 Jul 2018, 15:39
Bunuel wrote:
Of the following, which is greatest?

A. $$(\frac{1}{5})^{(−2)}$$

B. $$(\frac{1}{3})^{(−2)}$$

C. $$3^{(−2)}$$

D. $$5^{(−2)}$$

E. $$2^3$$

Option A :

$$(\frac{1}{5})^{(−2)}$$

= 1 / (1/ $$5 ^2$$)

= 25.

Thus the best answer is A.
e-GMAT Representative
Joined: 04 Jan 2015
Posts: 2943
Re: Of the following, which is greatest?  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Jul 2018, 02:15

Solution

To find:
• Which is greatest among the given options?

Approach and Working:
• $$(1/5)^{-2}$$ = $$(5^{-1})^{-2}$$= $$5^2$$ = 25
• Similarly, $$(1/3)^{-2} = 3^2$$ = 9
• $$3^{-2} = 1/3^2$$ = 1/9
• Similarly, $$5^{-2}$$ = 1/25
• $$2^3$$ = 8

Hence, the correct answer is option A.

_________________
Target Test Prep Representative
Status: Founder & CEO
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Posts: 6967
Location: United States (CA)
Re: Of the following, which is greatest?  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

09 Jul 2018, 19:56
Bunuel wrote:
Of the following, which is greatest?

A. $$(\frac{1}{5})^{(−2)}$$

B. $$(\frac{1}{3})^{(−2)}$$

C. $$3^{(−2)}$$

D. $$5^{(−2)}$$

E. $$2^3$$

Simplifying answers A through E, we have:

25, 9, 1/9, 1/25, 8

So, the greatest is A.

_________________

# Scott Woodbury-Stewart

Founder and CEO

Scott@TargetTestPrep.com
122 Reviews

5-star rated online GMAT quant
self study course

See why Target Test Prep is the top rated GMAT quant course on GMAT Club. Read Our Reviews

If you find one of my posts helpful, please take a moment to click on the "Kudos" button.

Re: Of the following, which is greatest?   [#permalink] 09 Jul 2018, 19:56
Display posts from previous: Sort by