GRE Math : How to square a decimal

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Basic Squaring / Square Roots

Which quantity is greater? When 

Quantity A  

 

Quantity B 

1

Possible Answers:

Quantity A is greater.

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

Quantity B is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

Correct answer:

Quantity B is greater.

Explanation:

X must equal a number between 0 and 1.  

If you square any decimal number in this range you will get an answer less than 1.  Try = 0.998.

Therefore Quantity B is always larger.

Example Question #2 : Basic Squaring / Square Roots

Which is greater, when 

Quantity A

Quantity B

Possible Answers:

The two quantities are equal

Quantity A is greater

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

Quantity B is greater

Correct answer:

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

Explanation:

When  must be a decimal. Therefore it will decrease when it is squared. To find this answer we can substitute two values for .

 and 

When 

But when 

Therefore we cannot tell which is greater based on the information given.

 

Example Question #3 : Basic Squaring / Square Roots

Which is greater, when 

Quantity A

Quantity B

Possible Answers:

Quantity B is greater

The two quantities are equal

Quantity A is greater

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

Correct answer:

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

Explanation:

When  must be a decimal. Therefore it will decrease when it is squared. To find this answer we can substitute two values for .

 and 

When 

But when 

Therefore we cannot tell which is greater based on the information given.

 

Example Question #4 : Basic Squaring / Square Roots

Which is greater, when 

Quantity A

Quantity B

Possible Answers:

Quantity A is greater

Quantity B is greater

The two quantities are equal

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

Correct answer:

Quantity A is greater

Explanation:

When  must be a negative decimal. Therefore it will decrease when it is squared and become positive. The first quantity  is the distance to 0 from , in other words the positive value of . The second quantity  will always be positive, but because it is a decimal it will always be less than , if  was a positive quantity. Since , then  wiill always be greater than .

Quantity A is greater.

Example Question #5 : Basic Squaring / Square Roots

Which is greater, when 

Quantity A

Quantity B

Possible Answers:

Quantity B is greater

Quantity A is greater

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

The two quantities are equal

Correct answer:

Quantity B is greater

Explanation:

When  must be a negative decimal. Therefore it will decrease when it is squared and become positive. Because  must be a decimal,  will also be a decimal. Therefore  will never be greater than 1.

Quantity B is greater.

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