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The answer choices make this too simple for me -
The last term 2*3^7>3^7
so Option 1 is ruled out.

Option 2 is possibly correct.

Option 3 - 3^14 - At least my common sense says that a sequence of Geometric progression with the largest term 2*3^7 could ever "Add" up to 3^14.

Other options are ruled out as they are larger than option 3.

So Option 2 is the only possibility. IMO there is no point solving questions with such answer choices, but good job solving the problem yuskay.
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powers of 3 form a GP.solving using the formula we get 3^8

I will choose option B
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gmattokyo
Found this interesting, so sharing.

3 + 3 + 3 + 2 × 3^2 + 2 × 3^3 + 2 × 3^4 + 2 × 3^5 + 2 × 3^6 + 2 × 3^7 =

(A) 3^7
(B) 3^8
(C) 3^14
(D) 3^28
(E) 3^30

Did somebody find any other elegant way to solve this? I didn't get the explanation provided by Mr. Yusjkay
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jlgdr
gmattokyo
Found this interesting, so sharing.

3 + 3 + 3 + 2 × 3^2 + 2 × 3^3 + 2 × 3^4 + 2 × 3^5 + 2 × 3^6 + 2 × 3^7 =

(A) 3^7
(B) 3^8
(C) 3^14
(D) 3^28
(E) 3^30

Did somebody find any other elegant way to solve this? I didn't get the explanation provided by Mr. Yusjkay
Cheers!
J :)

Will provide some lovely Kudos

3 + 3 + 3 + 2 × 3^2 + 2 × 3^3 + 2 × 3^4 + 2 × 3^5 + 2 × 3^6 + 2 × 3^7 =

A. 3^7
B. 3^8
C. 3^14
D. 3^28
E. 3^30

We have the sum of 9 terms. Now, if all terms were equal to the largest term 2*3^7 we would have: sum=9*(2*3^7)=2*3^9=~3^10, so the actual sum is less than 3^10 and more than 3^7 (option A) as the last term is already more than that. So the answer is clearly B.

Answer: B.

Check similar questions to practice:
2-99058.html
tough-and-tricky-exponents-and-roots-questions-125956-40.html?hilit=geometric#p1029222
sequence-s-is-defined-as-follows-s1-2-s2-2-1-s3-2-2-sn-129435.html

OPEN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION IS HERE: 3-108690.html

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