DSQ: Calculating the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle : Pythagorean Theorem - GMAT Quantitative

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Question

Two ships left New York at the same time. One ship has been moving due east the entire time at a speed of 50 nautical miles per hour. How far apart are the ships now?

  1. The other ship has been moving due south the entire time.

  2. The other ship has been moving at a rate of 60 nautical miles per hour the entire time.

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Answer

In order to determine how far apart the ships are now, it is necessary to know how far each ship is from New York now. Even knowing both statements, however, you only know that the paths are at right angles, and that the ratio of the two distances is 6 to 5. Without knowing the time elapsed, which is not given, you cannot tell how far apart the ships are.

The answer is that both statements together are insufficent to answer the question.

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