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A certain economic indicator is proportional to the square of the unemployment rate. If the unemployment rate increases by 10 percent, then the indicator will increase by

A. 1%
B. 10%
C. 11%
D. 21%
E. 100%

If the GMAT tells us that a variable is proportional to another variable, then the two variables are directly proportional to each other. If two variables are directly proportional, then their ratio is constant.

The unemployment rate’s 10% increase corresponds to a factor of 1.1. Let x be the factor by which the indicator will change, and we have:

e/u^2 = ex/(1.1u)^2

e/u^2 = ex/(1.21u^2)

1 = x/1.21

x = 1.21

A factor of 1.21 corresponds to a 21% increase.

Answer: D
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A certain economic indicator is proportional to the square of the unemployment rate. If the unemployment rate increases by 10 percent, then the indicator will increase by

A. 1%
B. 10%
C. 11%
D. 21%
E. 100%
\(+10 + 10 + \frac{(+10)(+10)}{100} = 21\), Answer must be (D)
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A certain economic indicator is proportional to the square of the unemployment rate. If the unemployment rate increases by 10 percent, then the indicator will increase by

A. 1%
B. 10%
C. 11%
D. 21%
E. 100%

Let rate is 10% which increases by 10% which eventually becomes 10 + 10*.1 = 11%.
Initially the indicator was 100 which became 100(1+11*11) = 121
i.e. 21%

Answer D.
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Does anyone know any similar exercises of this type and of inverse proportion to practice?
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­Directly proportional-  P=Ke where K is a constant. Basically always choose numbers for these to get a K value and then plug back in:

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Let unemployment rate be represented as (U) & Economic Indicator be represented as (I).
As per question; I = K*U^2 ----- where K is proportionality constant.
=> K = I/ U^2 ----- Eq.1

Given that unemployment rate (U) increased by 10% => U changed to 1.1U . Let new Unemployment rate be Ux & new Index be Ix.
Now, we have:
Ix= K* Ux^2
=> Ix = K * {1.1U}^2
=> Ix = K * 1.21 U^2

=> K = Ix / 1.21 U^2 -------- Eq.2

Equating Eq.1 & Eq.2,

A factor of 1.21 corresponds to a 21% increase.
Answer: D
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First step find the K constant:

EI = K(Constant) * (UR)^2.

Lets assume EI is 10. UR is also 10.

K = 10/100 = 1/10.

Thus EI = 1/10 * (11)^2 = 121/10 = 12.1.

Therefore the Constant increased by 12.1/10 = 21.1%
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Attached is a visual that should help.
Attachments

Screen Shot 2024-10-08 at 7.34.32 PM.png
Screen Shot 2024-10-08 at 7.34.32 PM.png [ 776.48 KiB | Viewed 16049 times ]

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Directly proportional to square of unemployment rate (UR) means: Indicator = k * (UR)^2

Now we can make our job here easier by assigning values. Dan's video focuses on the wrong thing really, and at end he kind of brushes over his not so great values. The question is not at all about the constant of proportionality (i.e, k). So we assign it the value of 1, and let UR be 10.

indicator before increase is: 1 * 100 = 100

increase UR by 10 we get 11.

the new indicator is:
1 * 11^2 = 121

100 -> 121 is a 21% increase.
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We can also plug in numbers - as 20 for the Unemployment Rate; if it raises by 10%, which is to - it will become 22, in this case making the previous 400 of the indicator 484, which is exactly 121 percent of the 400, which indicates a 21 percent increase
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How did you make it 484 from 400?

Max377
We can also plug in numbers - as 20 for the Unemployment Rate; if it raises by 10%, which is to - it will become 22, in this case making the previous 400 of the indicator 484, which is exactly 121 percent of the 400, which indicates a 21 percent increase
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nandini14
How did you make it 484 from 400?



nandini14

Here's how this works:

The indicator is proportional to the SQUARE of the unemployment rate.

Breaking Down the Calculation:
When we chose unemployment rate = \(20\):
  • Original indicator = \(20^2 = 400\)

When unemployment increases by \(10%\), it becomes \(22\):
  • New indicator = \(22^2 = 22 \times 22 = 484\)

That's how we get from \(400\) to \(484\) - we're squaring the new unemployment rate!

Why This Works:

Since the problem states the indicator is "proportional to the square" of unemployment, this means:

  • Indicator = \(k \times U^2\) (where \(k\) is some constant)
  • When \(U = 20\) gives indicator = \(400\), we know \(k = 1\)
  • So when \(U = 22\), the indicator must be \(1 \times 22^2 = 484\)

Remember: "Proportional to the square" means you must square the new value, not just scale it proportionally!
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nandini14
How did you make it 484 from 400?



He squared the unemployment rate because the indicator is proportional to the square of that rate. If the rate is 20, then the indicator is 20^2 = 400. A 10% increase makes the rate 22, so the indicator is 22^2 = 484. That’s where 484 comes from.
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