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# If a and b are integers, is b > a?

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Manager
Joined: 31 Aug 2016
Posts: 102
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, General Management
GMAT 1: 680 Q49 V33
GPA: 2.81
If a and b are integers, is b > a?  [#permalink]

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21 Aug 2018, 19:22
00:00

Difficulty:

65% (hard)

Question Stats:

54% (02:08) correct 46% (01:58) wrong based on 37 sessions

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If $$a$$ and $$b$$ are integers, is $$b > a$$?

(1) $$\frac{−30}{b}$$ $$= a$$

(2) $$(a – b)(a + b) = –11$$

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Re: If a and b are integers, is b > a?  [#permalink]

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21 Aug 2018, 20:20
If $$a$$ and $$b$$ are integers, is $$b > a$$?

Looking at the two statements, you should notice that both a and b can be positive or negative and statements do not tell us about sign, so E should be the answer.

(1) $$\frac{−30}{b}$$ $$= a$$
If b is -3, a=10.....b<a
If b is 3, a =-10...b>a
Insufficient

(2) $$(a – b)(a + b) = –11$$
So $$a^2-b^2=-11$$
So |b|>|a| .. but signs can be anything
If b =-6, a=5,.....b<a
If b =6, a=-5......b>a
Insufficient

Combined
If b =-6, a=5,.....b<a
If b =6, a=-5......b>a
Insufficient

E
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1) Absolute modulus : http://gmatclub.com/forum/absolute-modulus-a-better-understanding-210849.html#p1622372
2)Combination of similar and dissimilar things : http://gmatclub.com/forum/topic215915.html
3) effects of arithmetic operations : https://gmatclub.com/forum/effects-of-arithmetic-operations-on-fractions-269413.html

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Re: If a and b are integers, is b > a? &nbs [#permalink] 21 Aug 2018, 20:20
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