What is the value of ?
Answer Choices
Correct answer marked belowSee the full step-by-step explanation
You can see the correct answer above. Sign in for free to unlock the complete worked solution.
Track your performance and improve
Get detailed analytics, unlock full explanations, and move up difficulty tiers as you practice.
Unlock the full explanation
Create a free account to reveal the correct answer, see the step-by-step explanation, and start tracking your GMAT progress.
Got 254 by narrowing between 250^2 and 260^2, then checking the units digit. Took me a bit longer than I'd like for a 600-level question though.
Same here, the unit digit check is what saves time. I almost started multiplying 236^2 before realizing I could eliminate C and D right away.
Yeah, estimating 250^2 = 62500 first was the key for me. Once you know it has to be around 254, the rest is quick.
Is there a faster way to do this without calculating squares? I always get stuck on these.
Try 250^2 = 62500, then 64516 is only 2016 above that. Since 254^2 = 62500 + 2*250*4 + 16, that's the closest. But honestly unit digit is faster.
Last digit of 64516 is 6, so the answer's last digit must be 4 or 6 when squared. That leaves B and E, then compare 254 vs 266.
Good question to practice estimation. 250^2 = 62500 and 260^2 = 67600, so it's between 250 and 260. Only 254 and 256 are in range, and 256^2 = 65536 is too big. Nice and clean.
I appreciate that the distractors are 234 and 236 - close enough to seem plausible if you mess up your estimation. Solid question.
What it tests
Your fluency with the order of operations, fractions, decimals, and basic number sense — the foundation every quant question leans on.
Common trap
Applying the order of operations out of sequence or rounding intermediate values before the final step.