GMAT Question of the Day - Daily to your Mailbox; hard ones only

 It is currently 24 Jan 2019, 04:51

### GMAT Club Daily Prep

#### Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

## Events & Promotions

###### Events & Promotions in January
PrevNext
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
303112345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
272829303112
Open Detailed Calendar
• ### Key Strategies to Master GMAT SC

January 26, 2019

January 26, 2019

07:00 AM PST

09:00 AM PST

Attend this webinar to learn how to leverage Meaning and Logic to solve the most challenging Sentence Correction Questions.
• ### Free GMAT Number Properties Webinar

January 27, 2019

January 27, 2019

07:00 AM PST

09:00 AM PST

Attend this webinar to learn a structured approach to solve 700+ Number Properties question in less than 2 minutes.

# Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4

Author Message
TAGS:

### Hide Tags

Manager
Joined: 27 Apr 2012
Posts: 57
Location: United States
GMAT Date: 06-11-2013
GPA: 3.5
WE: Marketing (Consumer Products)
Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

13 May 2012, 22:47
1
4
00:00

Difficulty:

25% (medium)

Question Stats:

69% (00:41) correct 31% (01:02) wrong based on 153 sessions

### HideShow timer Statistics

Is k^2/m < 0

(1) -3 < k < 5
(2) 2 < m < 4
Intern
Joined: 04 Mar 2012
Posts: 37

### Show Tags

13 May 2012, 22:51
1
I believe the answer should be B.

As K^2 is always positive, we only need to check for value of m. Statement 1 says m can be -ve or +ve. Statement 2(2<m<4) confirms that m is always positive, hence answer is B. K^2/m is not less than 0.
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 52463
Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

13 May 2012, 23:03
1
gmihir wrote:
I believe the answer should be B.

As K^2 is always positive, we only need to check for value of m. Statement 1 says m can be -ve or +ve. Statement 2(2<m<4) confirms that m is always positive, hence answer is B. K^2/m is not less than 0.

The square of a number is not always positive, it's non-negative.

Is k^2/m < 0

k^2/m<0 to hold true k must not equal to zero AND m must be negative.

(1) -3 < k < 5. Not sufficient.
(2) 2 < m < 4. Since the second condition is already violated then the answer to the question is NO: $$\frac{k^2}{m}=\frac{nonnegative}{positive}=nonnegative$$ . Sufficient.

_________________
Manager
Joined: 28 Feb 2012
Posts: 109
GPA: 3.9
WE: Marketing (Other)
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

14 May 2012, 21:13
1
i also have chosen B, but then thought what if k=0, we don't know from the statements, so then answer should be E.
Did i miss anything?
_________________

If you found my post useful and/or interesting - you are welcome to give kudos!

Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 52463
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

14 May 2012, 22:13
3
ziko wrote:
i also have chosen B, but then thought what if k=0, we don't know from the statements, so then answer should be E.
Did i miss anything?

Notice that if k=0 then k^2/m=0 and the answer to the question whether k^2/m<0 is still no.

Hope it's clear.
_________________
Manager
Joined: 28 Feb 2012
Posts: 109
GPA: 3.9
WE: Marketing (Other)
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

14 May 2012, 22:45
Excellent, i always forget that in such DS problems yes or no is sufficient.
Thanks!
_________________

If you found my post useful and/or interesting - you are welcome to give kudos!

Intern
Joined: 10 Dec 2011
Posts: 11
Location: United States
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

15 May 2012, 03:30
k^2 must be equal to m, then that is possible.
but here is not, in case of inequality + or - matters
Manager
Joined: 21 Feb 2012
Posts: 70
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, General Management
GMAT 1: 600 Q49 V23
GPA: 3.8
WE: Information Technology (Computer Software)
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

15 May 2012, 10:18
Bunuel wrote:
ziko wrote:
i also have chosen B, but then thought what if k=0, we don't know from the statements, so then answer should be E.
Did i miss anything?

Notice that if k=0 then k^2/m=0 and the answer to the question whether k^2/m<0 is still no.

Hope it's clear.

No the answer to this one could be C.

or u can write :
Is k^2*m < 0 ??
now u will wonder k^2 will always be positive.so it depends on m only whether the product is <0 or not.
But it is not the case.
As k could be an imaginary number say k = (-1)^0.5 or 'iota' as we call it, for which it fails.Since it is not mentioned here that k is a real number we cant guess on the nature on k. Thus we also need to determine the nature of k(real or imaginary).

Give me kudos if u like my post !!
Manager
Joined: 27 Apr 2012
Posts: 57
Location: United States
GMAT Date: 06-11-2013
GPA: 3.5
WE: Marketing (Consumer Products)
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

15 May 2012, 10:19
That really helps! Thank you Bunuel!
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 52463
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

15 May 2012, 10:41
1
piyushksharma wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
ziko wrote:
i also have chosen B, but then thought what if k=0, we don't know from the statements, so then answer should be E.
Did i miss anything?

Notice that if k=0 then k^2/m=0 and the answer to the question whether k^2/m<0 is still no.

Hope it's clear.

No the answer to this one could be C.

or u can write :
Is k^2*m < 0 ??
now u will wonder k^2 will always be positive.so it depends on m only whether the product is <0 or not.
But it is not the case.
As k could be an imaginary number say k = (-1)^0.5 or 'iota' as we call it, for which it fails.Since it is not mentioned here that k is a real number we cant guess on the nature on k. Thus we also need to determine the nature of k(real or imaginary).

Give me kudos if u like my post !!

Please notice that the GMAT is dealing only with real numbers.
_________________
Intern
Joined: 10 May 2009
Posts: 14
Location: United States
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Organizational Behavior
Schools: Cranfield '16
GMAT Date: 11-25-2012
GPA: 2.67

### Show Tags

29 Oct 2012, 03:55
Bunuel wrote:
gmihir wrote:
I believe the answer should be B.

As K^2 is always positive, we only need to check for value of m. Statement 1 says m can be -ve or +ve. Statement 2(2<m<4) confirms that m is always positive, hence answer is B. K^2/m is not less than 0.

The square of a number is not always positive, it's non-negative.

Is k^2/m < 0

k^2/m<0 to hold true k must not equal to zero AND m must be negative.

(1) -3 < k < 5. Not sufficient.
(2) 2 < m < 4. Since the second condition is already violated then the answer to the question is NO: $$\frac{k^2}{m}=\frac{non-negative}{positive}=non-negative$$ . Sufficient.

OA is given as C, can you please confirm the OA

Cheers
Manisha
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 52463

### Show Tags

29 Oct 2012, 04:02
magicmanisha wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
gmihir wrote:
I believe the answer should be B.

As K^2 is always positive, we only need to check for value of m. Statement 1 says m can be -ve or +ve. Statement 2(2<m<4) confirms that m is always positive, hence answer is B. K^2/m is not less than 0.

The square of a number is not always positive, it's non-negative.

Is k^2/m < 0

k^2/m<0 to hold true k must not equal to zero AND m must be negative.

(1) -3 < k < 5. Not sufficient.
(2) 2 < m < 4. Since the second condition is already violated then the answer to the question is NO: $$\frac{k^2}{m}=\frac{non-negative}{positive}=non-negative$$ . Sufficient.

OA is given as C, can you please confirm the OA

Cheers
Manisha

OA for this question is wrong. It should be B, not C.
_________________
Intern
Joined: 22 Jul 2014
Posts: 10
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

06 Sep 2014, 19:34
Stem: "k" will always be a non-negative number (or zero if k=0). To get the answer we need the values for "m".

i) "k" lies between -2 and 4. We do not know the values of "m". Insufficient.

ii) "m" is positve. We have two cases
Case a) When "k"= any number (any non zero number including decimals) and "m" is postive, then k^2/m>0
Eg: k=3 and m=3 --> 9/3=3 --> 3 > 0
Eg: k=-3 and m=3 --> 9/3=3 --> 3 > 0

Case b) When k=0 and m=3
k^2/m=0. We are asked to find k^2/m<0. Therefore 0<0 is not possible. Case b is invalid.

Therefore using case a, B is sufficient to answer.

Posted from my mobile device
_________________

- The race is on .. ..

Consider to give a kudo if the post helped !

Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Posts: 9466
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4  [#permalink]

### Show Tags

08 Jan 2018, 01:27
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
_________________
Re: Is k^2/m < 0 (1) -3 < k < 5 (2) 2 < m < 4 &nbs [#permalink] 08 Jan 2018, 01:27
Display posts from previous: Sort by