Intern
Joined: 31 Aug 2019
Posts: 3
Location: Canada
Concentration: International Business, Economics
Re: If p is a negative number and 0 < s < |p|, which of the following
[#permalink]
18 Jan 2020, 02:27
Based on the question we know that S is positive, P is negative, but the absolute value of P is greater than S. This means no matter what S is, P squared will be greater than S squared.
The first three answers we can disregard immediately because they are all a sum or difference of S & P but it is squared. So no matter what actual sum or difference is the result squared will be positive.
Now we are left with only D & E as possible solutions to the problem. D is P^2 - S^2, and because the absolute value of P is greater than S, we know that P^2 will be greater than S^2. Example, if S =2, then P is a negative number that is less than -2. So let's assume it's -3.
-3^2 - 2^2 = 9 - 4 = 5. It's positive, and no matter what we substitute in for P & S, as long as the absolute value of P is greater than S, and as such P squared will always be greater than S squared.
The only option left is E.