Any decimal that has a finite number of nonzero digits is a terminatin

Question

Any decimal that has a finite number of nonzero digits is a terminating decimal. For example, 16, 12.43, and 0.26 are all terminating decimals. If a and b are positive integers and the ratio a/b is expressed as a decimal, is a/b a terminating decimal?

(1) b = 5
(2) 70 < a < 80

(1) b = 5
(2) 70 < a < 80

msk0657 · Answer

Stat 1 is insufficient...we don't have information about a.

Stat 2 is also insufficient.

a/b = 71/5 = 14.2 ,72/5 = 14.4 .....80/5 - we get do get any terminating number, at 75/5 and 80/5 - we get 15 and 16.

IMO option C.

OA please..will correct if I missed anything..

abhimahna · Answer

It should be A, since we know that denominator doesn't have anything that could make the fraction Non termination.

1/5 could be simply written as 0.2 and when multiplied with any value of a, it will always be terminating.

If Suppose B = 3, I know that 1/3 = 0.6666666.. Hence, when multiplied with a, we are not sure if we will get a terminating decimal or not.

Hence, Since B is 5, A is sufficient.

pallaviisinha · Answer

msk0657, I will suggest you to download GMAT Club Math Book and refer to the same for fundamentals. It will definitely help you to close loops in your understanding. It did for mine.

KarishmaParmar · Answer

What's the use of line in bold? And does that not mean that integers will not be considered decimal? Anyway the questions mentions that 16 is a terminating decimal too so we take the set of all integers as well.

Statement 1- Any number divided by 5 will always end up terminating. Sufficient

Statement 2- a can be any integer from 71 to 79 and b can be anything. Not sufficient.

Guess it's A

abhimahna · Answer

The purpose of bolded statements is nothing but just to explain what terminating decimals are. :-D

pranjal123 · Answer

In any fraction N/D, if D is a multiple of only 2 or 5 or both then fraction is terminating.

So now A says b=5 which is sufficient as fraction is having just 5 as prime factors .

In option B this is not the case as We don't know anything about b

So A is sufficient but B alone is not.

Thanks

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Any decimal that has a finite number of nonzero digits is a terminatin

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