NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 27 Apr 2024, 13:44 It is currently 27 Apr 2024, 13:44
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

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

Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To?

SORT BY:
Date
Kudos
Tags:
Find Similar Topics 
Show Tags
Hide Tags
avatar
farukhawais
Intern
Intern
Joined: 12 Jun 2010
Posts: 39
Own Kudos [?]: 24 [3]
Given Kudos: 14
Send PM
Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 18 Feb 2019, 05:54
1
Kudos
1
Bookmarks
If we are given a few fractions like:

Q1) 6/7 , 7/8 , 9/10 , 12/13 , 34/35

Q2) 3/8 , 5/7 , 7/8 , 9/12

And we are asked to find the smallest or the largest of the given fractions then what is the best, fool proof and above all the quickest strategy to solve such questions?

LINK TO PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Originally posted by farukhawais on 12 Jun 2010, 02:57.
Last edited by Bunuel on 18 Feb 2019, 05:54, edited 1 time in total.
Updated.
User avatar
hardnstrong
Manager
Manager
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
Posts: 88
Own Kudos [?]: 91 [2]
Given Kudos: 8
Send PM
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   12 Jun 2010, 05:13
1
Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Question 1 - See the pattern -> difference between the numerator and denominator is 1 in all the options. So go with the option with largest integers (like 1/2 is always smaller than 2/3). Clearly the last option

Question 2 - Here the difference between numerator and denominator is not equal in all options

Use this method -> cross multiply the options. Lets take 3/8 on left side and 5/7 on right side (3/8 = 5/7). This will give 21 on left side 40 on right side (21 = 40). Option with greater number will always be greater, so in this case 5/7 is greater than 3/8. You can check all option this way.

I dont think GMAT ever gives large fractions without common difference between numerator and denominator.

Both the methods are full proof and can never go wrong.

Hope this helps
User avatar
beraterschwein
Intern
Intern
Joined: 09 Jun 2010
Posts: 9
Own Kudos [?]: 12 [2]
Given Kudos: 2
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   12 Jun 2010, 11:33
1
Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Fully agree w/ Q1

My "strategy" for Q2 would be the following:

Q2) 3/8 , 5/7 , 7/8 , 9/12

1) Looking for "obvious" differences: e.g., > vs. < 0.5 in this case the only fraction <0.5 is 3/8 (3/8<4/8) - so we figured out our smallest fraction

2) Looking for options to "easy cancel out" 9/12 is similar to 6/8 - 6/8 is def. smaller than 7/8

3) Final check between 5/7 vs. 7/8 by cross multiplication (if needed)

Only step 3 requires "real" calculation
User avatar
GMATBLACKBELT720
Intern
Intern
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Affiliations: NYSSA
Posts: 21
Own Kudos [?]: 27 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Location: New York City
Concentration: Finance
Schools:Wharton, Stanford, MIT, NYU, Columbia, LBS, Berkeley (MFE program)
 Q47  V33 GMAT 2: 640  Q44  V35 GMAT 3: 670  Q47  V35
GPA: 3.5
WE 1: Senior Associate - Thomson Reuters
WE 2: Analyst - TIAA CREF
Send PM
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   18 Jun 2010, 08:30
farukhawais wrote:
If we are given a few fractions like:

Q1) 6/7 , 7/8 , 9/10 , 12/13 , 34/35

Q2) 3/8 , 5/7 , 7/8 , 9/12

And we are asked to find the smallest or the largest of the given fractions then what is the best, fool proof and above all the quickest strategy to solve such questions?


Honestly, you should probably know what 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6, 1/7 and 1/8 are in decimal terms without having to do any calculations. This will be very handy on the exam.

If I were stuck, I'd use the above methods.
avatar
farukhawais
Intern
Intern
Joined: 12 Jun 2010
Posts: 39
Own Kudos [?]: 24 [0]
Given Kudos: 14
Send PM
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   18 Jun 2010, 11:44
Thanks for the response.

Do you have what you may call a "cheat sheet" or a "tips sheet" or a "cram sheet": that would have all the important things that I ought to remember. Especially containing fractions, multiplication tables, squares, cubes, square roots etc. Of course I can make my own any time but perhaps you would have something that has been aptly prepared while considering the type of arithmetic we would get to solve on GMAT.

Being an engineer, I normally have never learnt such things by heart. Calculator has always been my best friend. But now that I am planning to sit for GMAT, I would appreciate if you can share some relevant info; that is: things that I need to remember to shorten the time to answer quant questions.

Thanks again for the response.

Cheer,
Farukh
User avatar
GMATBLACKBELT720
Intern
Intern
Joined: 07 Jun 2010
Affiliations: NYSSA
Posts: 21
Own Kudos [?]: 27 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Location: New York City
Concentration: Finance
Schools:Wharton, Stanford, MIT, NYU, Columbia, LBS, Berkeley (MFE program)
 Q47  V33 GMAT 2: 640  Q44  V35 GMAT 3: 670  Q47  V35
GPA: 3.5
WE 1: Senior Associate - Thomson Reuters
WE 2: Analyst - TIAA CREF
Send PM
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   18 Jun 2010, 12:20
^I feel your pain.

After using the my fin. calculator for the last 2 years. Its been very hard to part from it. So tempted to use it, but I made sure to take out the batteries...
User avatar
D
stonecold
Alum
Joined: 12 Aug 2015
Posts: 2282
Own Kudos [?]: 3133 [0]
Given Kudos: 893
Schools: Boston U '20 (M)
GRE 1: Q169 V154
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   15 Aug 2016, 01:38
Here are some rules that will help you compare the fractions=>
For question 1 => Adding same thing to both the numerator and the denominator brings the fraction closer to one.
Hence there are two cases => Case 1 - If the fraction is proper ->(0,1) :- then the value will increase
Case 2 => if the concerned fraction is Improper -> (1,∞) :- then the value of the concern fraction will decrease

For Question 2=> Just simply divide them here.
The fractions involved are too easy for the ease of calculations.


Regards
Stone Cold
User avatar
G
ccooley
Manhattan Prep Instructor
Joined: 04 Dec 2015
Posts: 935
Own Kudos [?]: 1541 [0]
Given Kudos: 115
GMAT 1: 790 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Send PM
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   16 Aug 2016, 12:16
Expert Reply
I like to start these by finding pairs of numbers in which one is clearly greater/smaller than the other. Then, if you're looking for the greatest number, you can eliminate the smallest in any pair. For instance, in your second question, 7/8 is clearly greater than 3/8, so I eliminate 3/8. (Writing 'A B C D E' on your paper as you start can be helpful.) Then, notice that 9/12 = 3/4 = 6/8, which is also smaller than 7/8. The only two candidates remaining are 7/8 and 5/7, so cross-multiply those. Whichever one is greater is the answer.
User avatar
L
Bunuel
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 92959
Own Kudos [?]: 619472 [2]
Given Kudos: 81611
Send PM
CAT Tests Forum Quiz Mode
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   18 Feb 2019, 05:53
2
Bookmarks
Expert Reply
farukhawais wrote:
If we are given a few fractions like:

Q1) 6/7 , 7/8 , 9/10 , 12/13 , 34/35

Q2) 3/8 , 5/7 , 7/8 , 9/12

And we are asked to find the smallest or the largest of the given fractions then what is the best, fool proof and above all the quickest strategy to solve such questions?


PRACTICE QUESTIONS


https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 23275.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 28436.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 91008.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 89630.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 60537.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 72257.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 15201.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 87105.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 34951.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 28680.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 48206.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 65236.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/which-of-the ... 63644.html
User avatar
bumpbot
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Posts: 32714
Own Kudos [?]: 822 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink] New post   09 Dec 2020, 17:49
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
GMAT Club Bot
gmatclubot
Re: Smallest & Largest Fractions: How To? [#permalink]
09 Dec 2020, 17:49
Moderator:
Bunuel
Math Expert
92956 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions