The integers m and p are such that 2<m<p, and m is not a

SOME NOTES:

1. GCD and LCM
The greatest common divisor (GCD), of two or more non-zero integers, is the largest positive integer that divides the numbers without a remainder.

So GCD can only be positive integer. It should be obvious as greatest factor of two integers can not be negative. For example if -3 is a factor of two integer then 3 is also a factor of these two integers.

The lowest common multiple (LCM), of two integers \(a\) and \(b\) is the smallest positive integer that is a multiple both of \(a\) and of \(b\).

So LCM can only be positive integer. It's also quite obvious as if we don not limit LCM to positive integer then LCM won't make sense any more. For example what would be the lowest common multiple of 2 and 3 if LCM could be negative? There is no answer to this question.

2. DIVISIBILITY QUESTIONS ON GMAT

EVERY GMAT divisibility question will tell you in advance that any unknowns represent positive integers.

3. REMAINDER

GMAT Prep definition of the remainder:
If \(a\) and \(d\) are positive integers, there exists unique integers \(q\) and \(r\), such that \(a = qd + r\) and \(0\leq{r}<d\). \(q\) is called a quotient and \(r\) is called a remainder.

Moreover many GMAT books say factor is a "positive divisor", \(d>0\).

I've never seen GMAT question asking the remainder when dividend (\(a\)) is negative, but if we'll cancel this restriction (and consider \(dividend=a<0\)), but leave the other restriction (\(0\leq{r}<d\)), then division of negative integer by positive integer could be calculated as follow:

\(-8\) divided by \(6\) will result: \(0\leq{r}<d\), \(a=qd + r\) --> \(0\leq{r}<6\), \(-8=(-2)*6+4\). Hence \(remainder=r=4\).

TO SUMMARIZE, DON'T WORRY ABOUT NEGATIVE DIVIDENDS, DIVISORS OR REMAINDERS ON GMAT.


BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION:

The integers m and p are such that 2<m<p, and m is not a factor of p. if r is the remainder when p is divided by m, is r>1?

Given: \(2<m<p\) and \(\frac{p}{m}\neq{integer}\), which means that \(r>0\). Note here that as \(0<2<m<p\) then your example of -8 and 6 is not valid as both \(m\) and \(p\) are positive.
Question: \(r=?\)

(1) the greatest common factor of m and p is 2 --> both \(p\) and \(m\) are even (as both have 2 as a factor) --> even divided by even can give only even remainder (0, 2, 4, ...), since remainder is not zero (as \(\frac{p}{m}\neq{integer}\)), then remainder must be more than 1: 2, 4, ... Sufficient.

(2) the least common multiple of m and p is 30 --> if \(m=5\) and \(p=6\), remainder=1=1, answer to the question would be NO. BUT if \(m=10\) and \(p=15\) remainder=5>1 answer to the question would be YES. Two different answers. Not sufficient.

Answer: A.

Hope it helps.

Also:
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