NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 26 Apr 2024, 04:46 It is currently 26 Apr 2024, 04:46
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

Close
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
Your Progress

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
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel

Is the negative number x less than –1?

SORT BY:
Date
Kudos
Tags:
Find Similar Topics 
Show Tags
Hide Tags
User avatar
L
Bunuel
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Posts: 92929
Own Kudos [?]: 619143 [9]
Given Kudos: 81609
Send PM
CAT Tests Forum Quiz Mode
Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 09 Apr 2021, 01:22
9
Bookmarks
Expert Reply
00:00
A
B
C
D
E

Difficulty:

65% (hard)

Question Stats:

53% (01:44) correct 47% (01:41) wrong based on 81 sessions
Hide Show timer Statistics
Is the negative number x less than –1?

(1) 1/x < 1/2
(2) 1/x^2 < 1/2
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
B

Originally posted by Bunuel on 14 May 2017, 12:24.
Last edited by Bunuel on 09 Apr 2021, 01:22, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
S
sauravleo123
Manager
Manager
Joined: 27 Dec 2012
Posts: 110
Own Kudos [?]: 259 [1]
Given Kudos: 23
Send PM
Re: Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink] New post   15 May 2017, 02:25
1
Kudos
Statement 1:
1/x-1/2<0
2-x/2x<0
As x<0
This gives us
x<2
No new information
Insufficient
Statement 2:
1/x^2-1/2<0
x^2>2
This confirms x<-1
Sufficient
B
User avatar
P
sananoor
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 24 Jun 2012
Posts: 301
Own Kudos [?]: 428 [1]
Given Kudos: 331
Location: Pakistan
Concentration: Strategy, International Business
Schools: Booth '19 HBS '19 Ross '19 Mason '21 (A$) Babson '21 (A$) GWU '21 (A$) AU Kogod"21 (A$)
GPA: 3.76
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User Reviews Badge
Re: Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink] New post   15 May 2017, 02:34
1
Kudos
For me its B
if 1/x^2 < 1/2 then we can write this as
x^2 > 2...and it is only possible when x is > 1 and as we are given that x is negative this means x is negative number greater than 1
User avatar
L
gmatexam439
Moderator
Joined: 28 Mar 2017
Posts: 1090
Own Kudos [?]: 1970 [0]
Given Kudos: 200
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Technology
Schools: McDonough '21 (A$) Jones '21 (A$) Kelley '23 (A)
GMAT 1: 730 Q49 V41
GPA: 4
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink] New post   14 May 2017, 12:35
Bunuel wrote:
Is the negative number x less than –1?

(1) 1/x < 1/2
(2) 1/x^2 < 1/2


E

1. stmt 1 will hold true for x=-2 and for x=-0.5
insufficient

2. for x<-2, the given condition holds true
for -2<x<-1, the given condition fails,
for -1<x<0, the condition condition fails
insufficient

1&2 clearly insufficient
avatar
G
varundixitmro2512
Manager
Manager
Joined: 04 Apr 2015
Posts: 84
Own Kudos [?]: 252 [2]
Given Kudos: 3989
Send PM
Re: Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink] New post   15 May 2017, 02:03
1
Bookmarks
IMO B

x has to be less than -1from statetment 2

waiting for the OA
User avatar
P
jedit
Manager
Manager
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Posts: 209
Own Kudos [?]: 345 [1]
Given Kudos: 854
Schools: Stanford '20 HBS '20 Sloan '20
GPA: 3.57
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink] New post   15 May 2017, 03:05
1
Bookmarks
IMO its B -

1- \(1/x < 1/2\)
\(2/x < 1\)
\(x < 2\) -- we flip signs because we know X is negative and we're taking negative to the other side, or so I think we should do.

2- \(1/x^2 < 1/2\)

flipping sides, sign remains the same since we're dealing with \(x^2\)

\(x^2 > 2\) taking under root, we will be flipping the sign since we know x is negative.
\(x < 1.41\) - Not sufficient.


Combining both, we know x < 2 and and less than 1.41 but its still not sufficient to determine if X is less than -1. Answer should be E IMO. I may be making a dumb mistake so would love it if someone can correct me.
User avatar
L
gmatexam439
Moderator
Joined: 28 Mar 2017
Posts: 1090
Own Kudos [?]: 1970 [0]
Given Kudos: 200
Location: India
Concentration: Finance, Technology
Schools: McDonough '21 (A$) Jones '21 (A$) Kelley '23 (A)
GMAT 1: 730 Q49 V41
GPA: 4
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink] New post   15 May 2017, 04:29
gmatexam439 wrote:
Bunuel wrote:
Is the negative number x less than –1?

(1) 1/x < 1/2
(2) 1/x^2 < 1/2


E

1. stmt 1 will hold true for x=-2 and for x=-0.5
insufficient

2. for x<-2, the given condition holds true
for -2<x<-1, the given condition fails,
for -1<x<0, the condition condition fails
insufficient

1&2 clearly insufficient



I understand it should be "B" and not "E".
User avatar
G
andreagonzalez2k
Manager
Manager
Joined: 15 Feb 2021
Posts: 187
Own Kudos [?]: 220 [0]
Given Kudos: 13
Send PM
Re: Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink] New post   08 Apr 2021, 13:10
1- 1/x < 1/2
Using -1/2 and -3/2 both satisfy the inequality, so insufficient.

2- 1/x^2 < 1/2
x^2 > 2 -> |x| > sqrt(2) -> x > sqrt(2) or x < -sqrt(2)
As we know also that x is negative, sufficient.

Answer: B
GMAT Club Bot
gmatclubot
Re: Is the negative number x less than –1? [#permalink]
08 Apr 2021, 13:10
Moderator:
Bunuel
Math Expert
92929 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions