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# Is x a negative number?

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Is x a negative number? [#permalink]  10 Oct 2009, 14:01
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29% (01:49) correct 71% (00:28) wrong based on 205 sessions
Is x a negative number?

(1) x^2 is a positive number.

(2) x*|y| is not a positive number.
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

Last edited by Bunuel on 29 Dec 2013, 02:34, edited 1 time in total.
Edited the question and added the OA.
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Re: Is X Negative? [#permalink]  10 Oct 2009, 14:40
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Statement 1: x^2 is a positive number.

x can either be positive or negative. Insufficient.

Statement 2: x*|y| is not a positive number.

There are two possible cases:

1st case: x*|y| < 0, therefore x must be negative.
2nd case: x*|y| = 0, therefore x or y can be zero, and this doesn't prove anything about x.

Therefore, insufficient.

Evaluating both Statements

We know that |x| > 0, and that x*|y| <= 0. If y is non-zero, X must be negative. However, if Y = 0, then it doesn't matter what X is. Insufficient.
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Re: Is X Negative? [#permalink]  10 Oct 2009, 21:32
hogann wrote:
Is x a negative number?

(1) $$x^2$$ is a positive number.

(2) x · |y| is not a positive number.

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Re: Is X Negative? [#permalink]  10 Oct 2009, 22:04
GMAT TIGER wrote:
hogann wrote:
Is x a negative number?

(1) $$x^2$$ is a positive number.

(2) x · |y| is not a positive number.

Another flawed question.
Didi you get the question correctly from its source?
Source???

It lets us know that x is not equal to zero.
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Re: Is X Negative? [#permalink]  10 Oct 2009, 22:39
AKProdigy87 wrote:
GMAT TIGER wrote:
hogann wrote:
Is x a negative number?

(1) $$x^2$$ is a positive number.

(2) x · |y| is not a positive number.

It lets us know that x is not equal to zero.

Thanks.. That makes sense.
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Re: Is X Negative? [#permalink]  29 Dec 2013, 02:26
is x>0?

1. $$x^2=positive.$$

NS. x could be both a positive number and a negative number.

2 x|y| is not a positive number

different scenarios unfold from this expression. x|y|= -ve number, 0, or a positive rational number.

case a) |y| is not zero and x is negative. The answer would be yes
b) if |y| is zero the value of x is concealed (x is either positive or negative).
c) x can be a positive rational number and |y| a positive integer or a positive rational number.
d) x can be a negative rational number and |y| zero.

NS

1+2) combining the informations provided doesn't help to define a clear answer.
NS and the answer is E.
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Re: Is x a negative number? [#permalink]  08 Jan 2015, 07:44
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Re: Is x a negative number? [#permalink]  08 Jan 2015, 12:27
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Hi All,

This question can be solved by TESTing VALUES.

We're asked if X is a negative number. This is a YES/NO question.

Fact 1: X^2 is a positive number.

IF....
X = 2
X^2 = 4
The answer to the question is NO.

X = -2
X^2 = 4
The answer to the question is YES.
Fact 1 is INSUFFICIENT.

Fact 2: (X)|Y| is NOT a positive number.

IF....
Y = 0
X = 2
The answer to the question is NO.

Y = 0
X = -2
The answer to the question is YES.
Fact 2 is INSUFFICIENT

Combined, the two TESTs that we did in Fact 2 ALSO "fit" Fact 1, so we end up with NO and YES answers.
Combined, INSUFFICIENT

[Reveal] Spoiler:
E

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Re: Is x a negative number?   [#permalink] 08 Jan 2015, 12:27
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