Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 09:02 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 09:02
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
banksy
Joined: 10 Feb 2011
Last visit: 01 Apr 2011
Posts: 86
Own Kudos:
1,949
 [21]
Given Kudos: 10
Posts: 86
Kudos: 1,949
 [21]
Kudos
Add Kudos
21
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 18 Nov 2025
Posts: 16,267
Own Kudos:
76,994
 [11]
Given Kudos: 482
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,267
Kudos: 76,994
 [11]
6
Kudos
Add Kudos
5
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
beyondgmatscore
Joined: 14 Feb 2011
Last visit: 10 Nov 2015
Posts: 102
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 3
Posts: 102
Kudos: 433
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,389
Own Kudos:
778,280
 [1]
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,389
Kudos: 778,280
 [1]
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
banksy
Which of the following is closest to 10^180 – 10^30 ?

A. 10^210
B. 10^180
C. 10^150
D. 10^90
E. 10^6

10^180 is much, much, much bigger number than 10^30 and as we need approximate value then it's pretty much negligible in this case, so: 10^180 – 10^30=~10^180.

Answer: B.
User avatar
aeglorre
Joined: 12 Jan 2013
Last visit: 21 Sep 2014
Posts: 105
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 47
Posts: 105
Kudos: 226
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
banksy
Which of the following is closest to 10^180 – 10^30 ?

A. 10^210
B. 10^180
C. 10^150
D. 10^90
E. 10^6


10^180 - 10^30 can be written as 10^30*(10^150 - 1) just as the first poster said, but one other thing is worth mentioning: PEMDAS.

When you both have multiplication and parenthesis, do the operation in the parenthesis first, then the multiplication. In our case, the subtraction is extremely minescule and thus the parenthesis is almost exactly 10^150.

Now, do the multiplication: 10^30 * 10^150 = 10^180
User avatar
HKD1710
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 22 Jun 2014
Last visit: 26 Feb 2021
Posts: 961
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 182
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Technology
GMAT 1: 540 Q45 V20
GPA: 2.49
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
GMAT 1: 540 Q45 V20
Posts: 961
Kudos: 4,517
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
10^180 – 10^30

10^30 * (10^150 – 1)

as we know 10^2 - 1 means 100-1 and we get 99, which is approximately 100. hence (10^150 – 1) would remain as 10^150.
and 10^30 * 10^150 = 10^180. Answer is B.
User avatar
arvind910619
Joined: 20 Dec 2015
Last visit: 18 Oct 2024
Posts: 845
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 755
Status:Learning
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V36
GRE 1: Q157 V157
GPA: 3.4
WE:Engineering (Manufacturing)
Products:
GMAT 1: 670 Q48 V36
GRE 1: Q157 V157
Posts: 845
Kudos: 607
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This is a good question for approximation .
10^180 is much greater than 10^30
User avatar
Nipungupta9081
User avatar
School Moderator - INSEAD Masters
Joined: 07 Jan 2020
Last visit: 10 Aug 2025
Posts: 501
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 193
Location: India
GPA: 4
WE:Analyst (Accounting)
Posts: 501
Kudos: 273
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Answer is B

10^180 - 10^30
taking 10^30 common = 10^30 ( 10^150 - 10^0 )
= 10^30 ( 10^150 - 1 )
= 10^30 * 10^150
= 10^150
User avatar
Abhishek009
User avatar
Board of Directors
Joined: 11 Jun 2011
Last visit: 18 Jul 2025
Posts: 5,934
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 463
Status:QA & VA Forum Moderator
Location: India
GPA: 3.5
WE:Business Development (Commercial Banking)
Posts: 5,934
Kudos: 5,327
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
banksy
Which of the following is closest to \(10^{180} – 10^{30}\) ?


A. \(10^{210}\)

B. \(10^{180}\)

C. \(10^{150}\)

D. \(10^{90}\)

E. \(10^6\)
\(10^{180} – 10^{30}\)

Or, \(10^{30}(10^{6} – 10^1)\)

Or, \(10^{30*6} = 10^{180}\) (ignoring the value of 10^1, as it is too small in comparison to \(10^{180}\), Answer must be (B)
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,587
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,587
Kudos: 1,079
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Moderators:
Math Expert
105389 posts
Tuck School Moderator
805 posts