Formulas & Functions Advanced Problem Set

[gmat.tony.2009]

Hi,

I have few questions regarding the advanced section of Functions and Formulas (Guide 3, Fourth Edition)

1) Ques 11, Page 173 - this question is a pick a number type. The number picked in the solution is 4 and the answer is B. But if I pick the number as 1, then the answer I am getting is A. What am I doing wrong?
2) Ques 12, Page 173 - this question is again a pick a number type. The numbers picked in the solution are c=3 and d=4, and the answer is E. But if I pick c=1 and d=2 as the numbers, then the answer I am getting is B. What am I doing wrong?

[gmat.tony.2009]

Any help on this issue is much appreciated.

[tim]

When you pick numbers, you cannot just stop when you get something that works. You can only eliminate answer choices that don't work. This is like the picking numbers approach for VICs..

On problem 11, if you pick 1, all five answer choices work. So that means 1 was useless to you and you have to go back in and pick a different number..

Same thing with problem 12. If you pick 1 then B/C/D/E all work. Again, you cannot just stop when you get one hit because you have to test them all. The only answer choice you can rule out when you pick 1 is A. So get rid of A and go back and pick a different value..