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Bunuel
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Why perfect square? The question stem is asking about integer value and in the given info (1) and (2) the number 10 is given that will give answer in integer form in both cases, so why not D?

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Bunuel
Is \(√p\) a non-integer?

(1) \(p = r * 10^r\), where r is a positive odd integer.
(2) \(p = 9 * 10^s\), where s is a positive integer.

We can also ask "is \(√p\) an integer?" or "is \(p\) a perfect square?"

Statement 1:

All squares can be broken down to even powers of prime factors, or a product of squares.
Split p into squares, \(r * 10^r = r * 10 * 10^{r-1}\). \(10^{r-1}\) is a square since \(r - 1\) is even. Then the concern is whether the rest of the factors, \(r * 10\) can be a square. \(r\) needs to have a factor of 2 since 10 has a factor of 2, to complete the square. Thus \(r\) has to be even if we want to complete the square, then there is no odd \(r\) that can make \(r * 10\) and \(r * 10^r\) a square. Sufficient.

Statement2:

Again focus on breaking p into smaller squares. 9 is already a square, we are concerned about \(10^s\) now. We only know \(s\) is an integer, any even \(s\) would make \(10^s\) a square but any odd \(s\) wouldn't. So this is insufficient.

Ans: A
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Is \(√p\) a non-integer?


Statement 1:

All squares can be broken down to even powers of prime factors, or a product of squares.
Split p into squares, \(r * 10^r = r * 10 * 10^{r-1}\). \(10^{r-1}\) is a square since \(r - 1\) is even. Then the concern is whether the rest of the factors, \(r * 10\) can be a square. \(r\) needs to have a factor of 2 since 10 has a factor of 2, to complete the square. Thus \(r\) has to be even if we want to complete the square, then there is no odd \(r\) that can make \(r * 10\) and \(r * 10^r\) a square. Sufficient.


I'm finding this really hard to understand.

So \(10^{r-1}\) is a perfect square because the power is even, right? But then when we look at the other two numbers, 10 and r, the prime factors of 10 are \(5^{1}\) and \(2^{1}\).... which would mean that r would have to also have an odd power of both 5 and 2 in order to make the whole term a square. And we have no way of knowing what r is or how many powers of 5 or 2 it could have.... so how is the answer A?
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Is \(√p\) a non-integer? = Is p a perfect square?

(1) \(p = r * 10^r\), where r is a positive odd integer.

Prime factorization = \(r * 5^r * 2^r\)
Since we are told r is a positive odd integer, we can make the conclusion that p is not a perfect square. To be a perfect square each exponent needs to be even.

We can also plug in numbers. Let r = 1

1 * 10 = 10
10 = not a perfect square.

Sufficient.

(2) \(p = 9 * 10^s\), where s is a positive integer.[/quote]

\(3^2 * 10^s\)

If s is even, then p is a perfect square. Insufficient.
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