Two GRE questions I can't seem to figure out

[AgentEL]

1. What is the largest integer value of n where 6^n < 10,000
A. 5
B. 6
C. 7
D. 8
E. 9

2. Tim went to a office supply store where he bought 85 paperclips for $13.10. Some of the paperclips he bought were 16 cents. Some were 14 cents. How many 14 cent clips did he buy?
A. 16
B. 25
C. 30
D. 35
E. 65

 

[Spencer278]

The first one is log base 6 of 10,000 I'm not sure if there is a easy way to do logs in your head.
edit: the second one you just need to solve
x + y = 85
16x + 14y = 1310
and the value of y is the number of 14 cent paper clips.

 

[puffff]

this has to be a joke... GRE is taken to get into graduate school right? which presumably means you passed college? and you still cant do simple multiplication or algebra?

 

[ugopk]

1.
Don't worry about solving it. Just plug it in. You know it'll be around 5-7


2.

x + y = 85
x(.16) + y (.14) = 13.10

2 equations, 2 variables

 

[alexeikgb]

1.

6^2 = 36
36 * 36 ~ 1200
1200 *6 ~ 7200

So.... n= 5

 

[yllus]

Two GRE questions I can't seem to figure out

What the hell? Damn dude, make sure you never try to do your own taxes.

 

[AgentEL]

sweet. thanks for the responses. I guess I was overanalyzing these questions.

 

[TuxDave]

1) Just multiply it out. You probably don't need to do every detail.

6^4=36*36~1500
6^5=1500*6~9000... and that's it

2) it's algebra... just do the math.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

Originally posted by: puffff
this has to be a joke... GRE is taken to get into graduate school right? which presumably means you passed college? and you still cant do simple multiplication or algebra?

you cant very well go asking complex differential equations bc not everyone taking GRE is an engineer... the questions arent supposed to be overly challenging... like for the first one, you *could* spend valuable time calculating them all out, or you could think about it and find shortcuts like the other ATer showed.

 

[AgentEL]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot

Originally posted by: puffff
this has to be a joke... GRE is taken to get into graduate school right? which presumably means you passed college? and you still cant do simple multiplication or algebra?

you cant very well go asking complex differential equations bc not everyone taking GRE is an engineer... the questions arent supposed to be overly challenging... like for the first one, you *could* spend valuable time calculating them all out, or you could think about it and find shortcuts like the other ATer showed.

Yeah, I was hoping there was a shortcut. That's how it seems to be with a lot of GRE math questions: a shortcut and the brute-force, calculated way.

For example, for the first one, I was hoping there was some property of exponents or logs I was missing that would have helped in other similar problems. What if the problem was:

Find the largest integer n which satisfies the following: 17^n < 10000000000.

In that case, doing the brute-force method could take away some precious seconds.

As for the second question: that's my bad. But, at least I know now instead of messing up on the real thing.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: puffff
this has to be a joke... GRE is taken to get into graduate school right? which presumably means you passed college? and you still cant do simple multiplication or algebra?

EVERYTHING in college is done on the computer or calculator, i can no longer do long division by hand, i have forgotten how

 

[Toastedlightly]

16 Cent clips x

14 Cent clips (85-x)

.16x + .14(85-x) = 13.10

Solve for X