Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection

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Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

16 Nov 2009, 11:33

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Guys I didn't forget your request, just was collecting good questions to post.

So here are some inequality and absolute value questions from my collection. Not every problem below is hard, but there are a few, which are quite tricky. Please provide your explanations along with the answers.

1. If 6*x*y = x^2*y + 9*y, what is the value of xy?
(1) y – x = 3
(2) x^3< 0

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-20.html#p653690

2. If y is an integer and y = |x| + x, is y = 0?
(1) x < 0
(2) y < 1

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-20.html#p653695

3. Is x^2 + y^2 > 4a?
(1) (x + y)^2 = 9a
(2) (x – y)^2 = a

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653697

4. Are x and y both positive?
(1) 2x-2y=1
(2) x/y>1

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653709

5. What is the value of y?
(1) 3|x^2 -4| = y - 2
(2) |3 - y| = 11

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653731

6. If x and y are integer, is y > 0?
(1) x +1 > 0
(2) xy > 0

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653740

7. |x+2|=|y+2| what is the value of x+y?
(1) xy<0
(2) x>2 y<2

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653783 AND inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-160.html#p1111747

8. a*b#0. Is |a|/|b|=a/b?
(1) |a*b|=a*b
(2) |a|/|b|=|a/b|

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653789

9. Is n<0?
(1) -n=|-n|
(2) n^2=16

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653792

10. If n is not equal to 0, is |n| < 4 ?
(1) n^2 > 16
(2) 1/|n| > n

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653796

11. Is |x+y|>|x-y|?
(1) |x| > |y|
(2) |x-y| < |x|

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653853

12. Is r=s?
(1) -s<=r<=s
(2) |r|>=s

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653870

13. Is |x-1| < 1?
(1) (x-1)^2 <= 1
(2) x^2 - 1 > 0

Solution: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653886

Official answers (OA's) and detailed solutions are in my posts on pages 2 and 3.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

21 Feb 2013, 11:57

Thanks Bunuel. These questions are of great value indeed!

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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

21 Feb 2013, 20:55

Bunuel wrote:

3. Is x^2 + y^2 > 4a?
(1) (x + y)^2 = 9a
(2) (x – y)^2 = a

(1) (x + y)^2 = 9a --> x^2+2xy+y^2=9a. Clearly insufficient.

(2) (x – y)^2 = a --> x^2-2xy+y^2=a. Clearly insufficient.

(1)+(2) Add them up 2(x^2+y^2)=10a --> x^2+y^2=5a. Also insufficient as x,y, and a could be 0 and x^2 + y^2 > 4a won't be true, as LHS and RHS would be in that case equal to zero. Not sufficient.

Answer: E.

I got C. Can you please explain why this is incorrect?

Statement 1 gives x^2+2xy+y^2 = 9a, and I rewrote it to 9a-2xy = x^2+y^2
Statement 2 gives x^2-2xy+y^2=a, and i rewrote this to x^2+y^2= a +2xy

Together, I have 9a-2xy = a+2xy, which leads to 8a = 4xy, but 8a is also equal to x^2+y^2? ... this last part must be wrong?
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

21 Feb 2013, 21:23

Bunuel wrote:

5. What is the value of y?
(1) 3|x^2 -4| = y - 2
(2) |3 - y| = 11

(1) As we are asked to find the value of y, from this statement we can conclude only that y>=2, as LHS is absolute value which is never negative, hence RHS als can not be negative. Not sufficient.

(2) |3 - y| = 11:

y<3 --> 3-y=11 --> y=-8
y>=3 --> -3+y=11 --> y=14

Two values for y. Not sufficient.

(1)+(2) y>=2, hence y=14. Sufficient.

Answer: C.

Bunuel, I think I need some conceptual help. Why should we not solve statement 1 by rewriting the two statements and then adding them together? (Besides the fact that it's time consuming....) I rewrote them and found 3x^2 -10 = y for the positive absolute vlaue, and -3x^2+14=y for the negative abs value. From this, I added them together and got y=4..

Can you please explain what I'm getting wrong conceptually? Thanks so much!!!! I appreciate your kindness.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

22 Feb 2013, 01:18

JJ2014 wrote:

Bunuel wrote:

The red part is not right. If you sum the two equations you'll get 2(x^2+y^2)=10a --> x^2+y^2=5a.

Below posts might help with this question:
inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-80.html#p687991
inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-100.html#p746278

Hope it helps.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

22 Feb 2013, 01:27

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JJ2014 wrote:

Bunuel wrote:

|x^2-4|=x^2-4 when x^2-4>0;
|x^2-4|=-(x^2-4) when x^2-4<=0.

So, the two equations you'll get from the original are relevant for different ranges of x. Hence, you cannot consider them as two separate equations and solve.

To put it simply: we cannot get the single value of y from 3|x^2 -4| = y - 2. Consider y=2 and x=2 OR y=11 and x=1.

Hope it's clear.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

22 Feb 2013, 07:14

Bunuel wrote:

JJ2014 wrote:

Bunuel wrote:

So I understand that you summed the equations and got that answer. But why is setting them equal to each other wrong in this case? I'm trying to figure out what concept I'm missing so that I don't end up doing it again.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

22 Feb 2013, 07:26

Bunuel wrote:

JJ2014 wrote:

Bunuel wrote:

This is clear. Thank you!!
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

22 Feb 2013, 08:09

JJ2014 wrote:

Bunuel wrote:

JJ2014 wrote:

What are you trying to get when setting "them" equal? Anyway, you won't be able to solve two equations with three unknowns.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

28 Feb 2013, 06:35

7. |x+2|=|y+2| what is the value of x+y?
(1) xy<0
(2) x>2 y<2

The solution seem confusing to me as I see four cases:
a] x<-2, y<-2
b]x>-2, y>-2
c] x<-2, y>-2
d]x>-2, y<-2

case [a] and [b] support x=y while case [c] and [d] support x+y=-4

when xy<0, the case [c]or[d] always do not apply, for example: x=-3 and y=3 would come under case[c] and x=-1 and y=3 would come under case [b] , so it is insufficient.

when x>2 , y<2, we have a case [b] with x=3, y=-1 and a case [d] with x=3,y=-3. So insufficient

when we combine(1)+(2) , we have a case as shown above , it is also insufficient.

So my answer choice would be E.

Can somebody help if I am wrong.

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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

28 Feb 2013, 06:42

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piealpha wrote:

Please read the thread: 11 pages of good discussion.

Links to OA's and solutions are given in the original post: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-200.html#p652806

OA for this question is D, not E. Discussed here: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-40.html#p653783 and here: inequality-and-absolute-value-questions-from-my-collection-86939-160.html#p1111747

Hope it helps.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

28 Feb 2013, 08:36

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Question 1:

6xy = x^2 y + 9y

y(x^2 -6x +9) = 0

y(x-3)^2 = 0

either y =0, or x=3

statement 1: y-x =3
If y= 0, xy =0, irrespective of x
If x=3, y =6, xy= 18

So, A & D are not correct

statement 2:

x^3 < 0 => x <0

=> x is not equal to 3 so y=0, and xy = 0

Correct Answer B

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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

17 Apr 2013, 04:18

Bunuel wrote:

Hi Bunnel
Solved the 1st statement like this -
(x + y)^2 = 9a
Since x^2 + y^2 >= 2xy
x^2 + y^2 + x^2 + y^2 >= 9a
2(x^2 + y^2) >= 9a
x^2 + y^2 >= 4.5a
Now this would have been sufficient if a is not = 0 had been given in the stem
Is this approach to the problem alright??
Is this st sufficient if it is given that a is not equal to 0
Thanks

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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

17 Apr 2013, 06:34

Dipankar6435 wrote:

Bunuel wrote:

Yes, but we don't know whether x is 0.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

24 Apr 2013, 05:04

Bunuel wrote:

hi Bunuel,

Thank you very much for all the explanations. I have a query on this one

Combining both we get x^2+y^2=5a or x,y,a = 0

aren't those sufficient to answer the question is x^2+y^2>4a

Is the first case where x^2+y^2=5a, the answer is yes

Second case where x,y,a=0, the answer is no

Kindly do elaborate. Thanks
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink]

24 Apr 2013, 05:26

Transcendentalist wrote:

Bunuel wrote:

First of all when we combine we get that x^2+y^2=5a. If xya\neq{0}, then the answer is YES but if xya={0}, then the answer is NO.

Next, it's a YES/NO DS question. In a Yes/No Data Sufficiency question, statement(s) is sufficient if the answer is “always yes” or “always no” while a statement(s) is insufficient if the answer is "sometimes yes" and "sometimes no".

Hope it's clear.
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Re: Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection [#permalink] 24 Apr 2013, 05:26

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Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection

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