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EgmatQuantExpert
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simply plugin answer options and solve ;
we see at B ; 77/6 we get 0 which is min value..
EgmatQuantExpert
question has mentioned p is a non-+ve number so how come option B is +ve? a non+ve number can be any number from range 0 to -infinity isnt it?
i think it should be non- negative number that way range of p will be from 0 to +ve infinity..

EgmatQuantExpert
If p is a non-positive number, then for what value of p does the expression |77 – 6p| holds the minimum value?

    A. 77/12
    B. 77/6
    C. 12
    D. 0
    E. -77/6


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If we consider the question just the way it is stated, then it should be D.

D
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EgmatQuantExpert
If p is a non-positive number, then for what value of p does the expression |77 – 6p| holds the minimum value?

    A. 77/12
    B. 77/6
    C. 12
    D. 0
    E. -77/6



Considering the question is correct, p can have values less than zero. For any non negative p, the answer tends towards maximum value-> (77+6p), hence for p=0 it holds the least value of the expression= l77l=77.
OA D.
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Solution


Given:
In this question, we are given that
    • The number p is a non-positive number.

To find:
We need to determine
    • The value of p, for which the expression |77 – 6P| holds the minimum value.

Approach and Working:
As we are trying to minimise the value of the expression |77 – 6p|, our aim should be to minimise the value of 77 – 6p.
    • The value of 77 – 6p will be minimum, when 6p will be maximum
    • The value of 6p will be maximum, when the value of p will be maximum

Now, we also know that p is a non-positive number.
    • Therefore, the maximum value of p = 0

Hence, the correct answer is option D.

Answer: D

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p has to be negative or zero as per question.

Any negative value will add up on top of 77 will give the results which is greater than 77
Only when p = 0 the value of expression becomes 77- 6*0 = 77 which is lowest.

Hence value of p = 0 when the whole expression is minimum = 77
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Bit confused here. So the question is saying p is non-negative yet gives us positive values of p as possible choices. Shouldn't E be the answer? -(-77/6 = ~13) so 77 - 13 < 77 - 0
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If p is a non negative then we eliminate option AB C then we test for option D and E and at p=0 is where the value of the expression is minimum.

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If you step back for a second and analyze what’s going on, you can get to the answer just by looking at the question. (Worst case scenario, plug the 5 answer choices in)

[77 - 6 (p)]

If p is non-positive, it is either zero or negative.

The output of the absolute value Modulus will always be non-negative. The minimum value you could ever hope to obtain for the output is 0.

If p is any negative number, then inside the absolute value Modulus we would be multiplying:

(-6) * (-negative value) = (+) positive value

And this positive value would be added to 77, thereby increasing the output from the absolute value.

The best we can do is eliminate the -6(p) term and be left with just [77]

This will happen when p = 0

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damn it ! fell right into the trap !

P is NON-POSITIVE
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Hey, shouldn’t option B be the correct answer? Can someone clarify?
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sk1999
Hey, shouldn’t option B be the correct answer? Can someone clarify?
Please share your analysis henceforth on how did you end up with an incorrect choice - that helps highlight the fault in your approach.

If p is non-positive then it is less than or equal to 0

|77 - 6p| will always be positive, or 0 as it is inside the mod. You cannot take p as 77/6 because of the above highlighted constraint. Any negative number for p will increase the value of 77 - p. The only minimum value possible is 77, when p = 0. Hope this helps.
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It's given p is non-positive how can you say that it should be non-negative, rather you can clearly eliminate A,B and C as they are positive the only feasible options are D and E and on substituting any negative number you are going to get an answer greater than 77 so you are left with only 0 to get the least value i.e. 77, hence option D is the answer.
Chethan92
|77-6p| is always positive.
Hence We need a number, which results |77-6p| to zero
Hence P should be 77/6
Then |77-6*77/6| = 0

B should be the answer.

EgmatQuantExpert, I think the P should be a non-negative number.
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