OE
The conditions stated in the question, \(x<y<0\) , tell you that x and y are negative numbers and that y is greater than x. Keep this in mind as you evaluate each of the inequalities in the answer choices, to see whether the inequality must be true.
Choice A: \(x+1<x,\) According to the conditions given in the question, y is greater than x. Since y is greater than x and y + 1 is greater than y, it follows that y + 1 is greater than x. So it cannot be true that . Therefore, Choice A is not the correct answer.
Choice B: \(y-1<x\). While it is true that both x and y - 1 are less than y, it may not be true that \(y-1-<x\) x. Consider what happens if y = -2 and x = -7. In this case, the inequality \(y-1<x\) becomes \(-3<-7,\) which is false. Therefore, Choice B is not the correct answer.
Choice C: Note that \(y^2\) is positive and x is negative, so \(xy^2\) is negative. Is the negative number \(xy^2\) less than the negative number x? It depends on whether \(y^2>1\) or \(y^2<1\). Consider what happens if x = -4 and y = \(-\frac{1}{2}\), where \(y^2<1\). In this case, the inequality \(xy^2<x\) becomes \(-1<-4\), which is false. Therefore, Choice C is not the correct answer.
Choice D: Since y is a negative number, multiplying both sides of the inequality \(x<y\) by y reverses the inequality, resulting in the inequality \(xy>y^2\). So it cannot be true that \(xy>y^2\) . Therefore, Choice D is not the correct answer.
Since Choices A through D have been eliminated, the correct answer is Choice E.
Choice E: You can show that the inequality in Choice E must be true as follows: Multiply both sides of the given inequality \(x<y\) by x to obtain the inequality \(x^2<xy\), reversing the direction of the inequality because x is negative. Therefore, the inequality \(xy<y^2\) must be true, and the correct answer is Choice E.