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When there are squaring or cubing is involved, always remember -ve values as well as the values between -1 and 1
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Bunuel
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If x and y are positive, is \(x^3\) > y?
(1) \sqrt{x} > y
(2) x > y

My approach:
1.\sqrt{x}>y ....>x>\(y^2\)....NS
2. x>y ....NS

Combine...\(y^2\)>x>y....> \(x^3\)>y. This can be verified by taking no like 4>3>2..where y=2 and x=3

Any other apporach.

If x and y are positive, is x^3>y?

NUMBER PLUGGING:

(1) \(\sqrt{x}>y\) --> if \(x=1\) and \(y=\frac{1}{2}\) then the answer will be YES but if \(x=\frac{1}{4}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{5}\) then the answer will be NO. Two different answers, hence not sufficient.

(2) \(x>y\) --> if \(x=1\) and \(y=\frac{1}{2}\) then the answer will be YES but if \(x=\frac{1}{4}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{5}\) then the answer will be NO. Two different answers, hence not sufficient.

(1)+(2) Both examples are valid for combined statements, so we still have two answers. Not sufficient.

Answer: E.

ALGEBRAIC APPROACH:

For \(1\leq{x}\): ------\(\sqrt{x}\)----\(x\)----\(x^3\), so \(1\leq{\sqrt{x}}\leq{x}\leq{x^3}\) (the case \(\sqrt{x}=x=x^3\) is when \(x=1\)). \(y\) is somewhere in green zone (as \(y<\sqrt{x}\) and \(y<x\)), so if we have this case answer is always YES: \(y<x^3\).

But:

For \(0<x<1\): \(0\)----\(x^3\)----\(x\)----\(\sqrt{x}\)----\(1\), so \(0<x^3<x<\sqrt{x}\). \(y\) is somewhere in green or red zone (as \(y<\sqrt{x}\) and \(y<x\)), so if we have this case answer is sometimes YES: \(y<x^3\) (if \(y\) is in green zone), and sometimes NO: \(x^3<y\) (if \(y\) is in red zone). In fact in this case \(y=x^3\) is also possible, for example when \(x=\frac{1}{2}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{8}\)

Answer: E.

Hope it's clear.



+1 for u
Great Post Thanks Bunuel
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x = 1/4, y = 1/8

From (1)

1/2 > 1/8, but 1/8 = 1/8

but (9)^3 > 2

and sqrt(9) > 2

In (2) also, the same is true.

Answer - E.
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Bunuel
udaymathapati
If x and y are positive, is \(x^3\) > y?
(1) \sqrt{x} > y
(2) x > y

My approach:
1.\sqrt{x}>y ....>x>\(y^2\)....NS
2. x>y ....NS

Combine...\(y^2\)>x>y....> \(x^3\)>y. This can be verified by taking no like 4>3>2..where y=2 and x=3

Any other apporach.

If x and y are positive, is x^3>y?

NUMBER PLUGGING:

(1) \(\sqrt{x}>y\) --> if \(x=1\) and \(y=\frac{1}{2}\) then the answer will be YES but if \(x=\frac{1}{4}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{5}\) then the answer will be NO. Two different answers, hence not sufficient.

(2) \(x>y\) --> if \(x=1\) and \(y=\frac{1}{2}\) then the answer will be YES but if \(x=\frac{1}{4}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{5}\) then the answer will be NO. Two different answers, hence not sufficient.

(1)+(2) Both examples are valid for combined statements, so we still have two answers. Not sufficient.

Answer: E.

ALGEBRAIC APPROACH:

For \(1\leq{x}\): ------\(\sqrt{x}\)----\(x\)----\(x^3\), so \(1\leq{\sqrt{x}}\leq{x}\leq{x^3}\) (the case \(\sqrt{x}=x=x^3\) is when \(x=1\)). \(y\) is somewhere in green zone (as \(y<\sqrt{x}\) and \(y<x\)), so if we have this case answer is always YES: \(y<x^3\).

But:

For \(0<x<1\): \(0\)----\(x^3\)----\(x\)----\(\sqrt{x}\)----\(1\), so \(0<x^3<x<\sqrt{x}\). \(y\) is somewhere in green or red zone (as \(y<\sqrt{x}\) and \(y<x\)), so if we have this case answer is sometimes YES: \(y<x^3\) (if \(y\) is in green zone), and sometimes NO: \(x^3<y\) (if \(y\) is in red zone). In fact in this case \(y=x^3\) is also possible, for example when \(x=\frac{1}{2}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{8}\)

Answer: E.

Hope it's clear.


What if the question says x and y are positive INTEGERS ??
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ShajibAhmed


What if the question says x and y are positive INTEGERS ??

If they were both integers, then the answer would be D: either of them are sufficient, since we'd know that\(x^2y \geq 1\) and \(x^2 \geq 1\)(see my solution above). The question doesn't state that, however, so we must consider all cases.
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Bunuel
udaymathapati
If x and y are positive, is \(x^3\) > y?
(1) \sqrt{x} > y
(2) x > y

My approach:
1.\sqrt{x}>y ....>x>\(y^2\)....NS
2. x>y ....NS

Combine...\(y^2\)>x>y....> \(x^3\)>y. This can be verified by taking no like 4>3>2..where y=2 and x=3

Any other apporach.

If x and y are positive, is x^3>y?

NUMBER PLUGGING:

(1) \(\sqrt{x}>y\) --> if \(x=1\) and \(y=\frac{1}{2}\) then the answer will be YES but if \(x=\frac{1}{4}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{5}\) then the answer will be NO. Two different answers, hence not sufficient.

(2) \(x>y\) --> if \(x=1\) and \(y=\frac{1}{2}\) then the answer will be YES but if \(x=\frac{1}{4}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{5}\) then the answer will be NO. Two different answers, hence not sufficient.

(1)+(2) Both examples are valid for combined statements, so we still have two answers. Not sufficient.

Answer: E.

ALGEBRAIC APPROACH:

For \(1\leq{x}\): ------\(\sqrt{x}\)----\(x\)----\(x^3\), so \(1\leq{\sqrt{x}}\leq{x}\leq{x^3}\) (the case \(\sqrt{x}=x=x^3\) is when \(x=1\)). \(y\) is somewhere in green zone (as \(y<\sqrt{x}\) and \(y<x\)), so if we have this case answer is always YES: \(y<x^3\).

But:

For \(0<x<1\): \(0\)----\(x^3\)----\(x\)----\(\sqrt{x}\)----\(1\), so \(0<x^3<x<\sqrt{x}\). \(y\) is somewhere in green or red zone (as \(y<\sqrt{x}\) and \(y<x\)), so if we have this case answer is sometimes YES: \(y<x^3\) (if \(y\) is in green zone), and sometimes NO: \(x^3<y\) (if \(y\) is in red zone). In fact in this case \(y=x^3\) is also possible, for example when \(x=\frac{1}{2}\) and \(y=\frac{1}{8}\)

Answer: E.

Hope it's clear.

You will get a better understanding by drawing the number line and plugging in the value.
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The key is to remember that if 0 < x < 1, x gets smaller when squared or cubed.

So if we're told \(x > y^2\) (as in statement 1), we can't say with certainty that \(x^3 > y\).

Similarly, if we can't say with certainty that \(x > y^2\), then we can't conclude \(x > y\) either.
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