A power station is located on the boundary of a square region that measures 10 miles on each side. Three substations are located inside the square region.
Quantity A : The sum of the distances from the
power station to each of the substations
Quantity B : 30 milesQuantity A is greater., Quantity B is greater., The two quantities are equal., The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
3 Explanations
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Kara Rattermann
The problem does not say where inside the square region the 3 power stations are located. As such, these 3 power stations could be located where the video implies which would make Quantity A > Quantity B. However, in the same way, these 3 power stations could be located closer to the boundary where the power station is located and thus, Quantity A < Quantity B.
Therefore, D should be the correct answer since the relationship cannot be definitively determined with the given information.
The question said that the substations are inside the square region not in the boundary. If they are not in the boundary, how can we compare the length of the diagonal of the square with the distance to the substation?
That is a tricky distinction. What's important to remember is that "inside the square," means *anywhere* inside, even in the parts of the square that are very close to the boundary. It's possible that the power stations could even be inside the square but *touching* the boundary. In that case, if the diagonal itself, when multiplied by 3, amounts to a value higher than 30, then three lengths that are only slightly shorter than the diagonal could also add up to more than 30.
3 Explanations