ESeraph Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 1/a+1/b+1/c+1/d+1/e=1, a,b,c,d,e are different positive integers, what is the least possible value of a+b+c+d+e? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayarya Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 is it 46 ( I am assuming that the numbers are rational numbers ) 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/5 + 1/10 + 1/25 --C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
score800 Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Good question If each = 5 Then condition is 5. Hence minimum sum = 25 Whats the OA ? Please post the options. Back calculation will be easier. This is not a GMAT question, if options are missing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ESeraph Posted August 26, 2005 Author Share Posted August 26, 2005 guys, they are different positive integers. and 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/5 = 19/20, so 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/5 + 1/10 + 1/25>1 OA is 3+4+5+6+20. sorry, the question i got is only conpanied with an answer. no options. if there are options, we can surely put each option back to the equation. i want to know how to make it out. thx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
score800 Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 rayarya, ur sum for the reciprocals does not add upto 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayarya Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 I am sorry I agree with the OA.. i was doing mental calculation and I messed it up...but I belive i was on the right path in choosing the numbers.... " OA is 3+4+5+6+20" that means, we should consider irrational numbers as well because 1/3 is .333333333333333333333 and 1/6 is .1666666666666666666666 This is kinda tough.. --C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ESeraph Posted August 27, 2005 Author Share Posted August 27, 2005 well, i still dont know how to deal with it. somebody could make it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SangFroid Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 i also got stuck up with this... well any fastest approach for these types of ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ESeraph Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 could someone help on this? THX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sumeet_rana Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Agree with OA First we are dealing with positive integers . So we start with 1. But 1 cannot be taken as it will go 1/1 + anything > 1. 1/2 = .5 Fair enough so we have 1/3 = 1/4 = .25 1/6 = ?? adding 1/3+1/6 = 1/2 So either we have 1/2 in the equation or we have both (1/3 and 1/6) First Approach Having 1/2 will not give us solution because 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/5 = .95 + 1/20 = 1 (this will be 4 different numbers 2,4,5,20) Second Approach: So the other alternative is we use (1/3 + 1/6) value remains the same and number of integers is 5. Can such question come in actual GMAT ? It took quite a while Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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