Last visit was: 24 Apr 2026, 12:06 It is currently 24 Apr 2026, 12:06
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.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
raviram80
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
Last visit: 20 Jun 2012
Posts: 65
Own Kudos:
145
 [4]
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 65
Kudos: 145
 [4]
Kudos
Add Kudos
4
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,818
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,873
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,818
Kudos: 811,052
 [13]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
8
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
raviram80
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
Last visit: 20 Jun 2012
Posts: 65
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 65
Kudos: 145
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,818
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,873
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,818
Kudos: 811,052
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
raviram80
I think the difference is in variable and constant

[square_root][25] will always be 5

but sq rt [x2] = abs [x] can be +/- x depending on whether x is positive or negative, x being a variable.

Do you think the above reasoning is correct?

No that's not correct. It seems that you should brush up your fundamentals. Please check Absolute value and Number Theory chapters of Math Book for that: math-absolute-value-modulus-86462.html and math-number-theory-88376.html

Now, \(\sqrt{x^2}=|x|\), but absolute value is ALWAYS nonnegative (since it basically measures the distance and distance cannot be negative), so \(\sqrt{x^2}=|x|=nonnegative\) as it should be.

As for \(|x|\): if \(x<0\) (so when \(x\) is negative) then \(|x|=-x=-negative=positive\) and if \(x>0\) (so when \(x\) is positive) then \(|x|=x=positive\). As you can see \(|x|\) is positive in both cases (\(|x|=0\) when \(x=0\)).

Hope it helps.
avatar
fxsunny
Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Last visit: 23 Feb 2012
Posts: 28
Own Kudos:
Posts: 28
Kudos: 46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
raviram80
[square_root][25] will always be 5

This is where your line of reasoning fails.

\(sqrt(25)\) yields a number which when multiplied by itself equals \(25\).
In this case, there are two numbers which when multiplied by themselves equal 25:

- \(+5\) when multiplied by itself equals \(25\)
- \(-5\) when multiplied by itself equals \(25\)


As a result, \(sqrt(25)\) has two solutions: \(5\) and \(-5\).

[Kudos, please]
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,818
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,873
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,818
Kudos: 811,052
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
fxsunny
raviram80
[square_root][25] will always be 5

This is where your line of reasoning fails.

\(sqrt(25)\) yields a number which when multiplied by itself equals \(25\).
In this case, there are two numbers which when multiplied by themselves equal 25:

- \(+5\) when multiplied by itself equals \(25\)
- \(-5\) when multiplied by itself equals \(25\)


As a result, \(sqrt(25)\) has two solutions: \(5\) and \(-5\).

[Kudos, please]

\(\sqrt{25}=5\), NOT +5 or -5. Please refer to my first post.
avatar
Ndkms
Joined: 09 Aug 2016
Last visit: 26 Jul 2017
Posts: 42
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 8
Posts: 42
Kudos: 71
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Is any topic with lets say 10 examples covering all corner cases for the sake of completeness?
avatar
hsn81960
Joined: 16 May 2018
Last visit: 15 Aug 2019
Posts: 60
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 45
Location: Hungary
Posts: 60
Kudos: 8
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I have a question pls:
in case: √36 = x
Does it mean that x= +- 6 or only +6 ?
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,818
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 105,873
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,818
Kudos: 811,052
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
hsn81960
I have a question pls:
in case: √36 = x
Does it mean that x= +- 6 or only +6 ?

√36 = 6 only. The square root cannot give negative result. Check above posts for more.
User avatar
Kritisood
Joined: 21 Feb 2017
Last visit: 19 Jul 2023
Posts: 488
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 1,090
Location: India
GMAT 1: 700 Q47 V39
Products:
GMAT 1: 700 Q47 V39
Posts: 488
Kudos: 1,315
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel √-1 would be 1? as sq root cant give a negative result?
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 24 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,818
Own Kudos:
811,052
 [1]
Given Kudos: 105,873
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,818
Kudos: 811,052
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Kritisood
Bunuel √-1 would be 1? as sq root cant give a negative result?

√-1 is an imaginary number. All numbers on the GMAT are real numbers by default, so √-1 is undefined on the GMAT (all even roots from negative numbers are undefined on the GMAT). Proper GMAT question will always rule pout such cases.
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,975
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,975
Kudos: 1,117
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club BumpBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
Moderators:
Math Expert
109818 posts
Tuck School Moderator
853 posts