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Re: Is xy+zt+yz+tx > 0? [#permalink]
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fskilnik wrote:
GMATH practice exercise (Quant Class 14)

Is \(xy+zt+yz+tx > 0\,\) ?

(1) \(|x| = |y| = |z| = t\)
(2) \(x+y+z+t = 0\)


Target question: Is xy + zt + yz + tx positive?

Statement 1: |x| = |y| = |z| = t
Let's TEST some values.
There are several values of x, y, z and t that satisfy statement 1. Here are two:
Case a: x = y = z = t = 1. In this case, xy + zt + yz + tx = (1)(1) + (1)(1) + (1)(1) + (1)(1) = 4. So, the answer to the target question is YES, xy + zt + yz + tx IS positive
Case b: x = y = z = t = 0. In this case, xy + zt + yz + tx = (0)(0) + (0)(0) + (0)(0) + (0)(0) = 0. So, the answer to the target question is NO, xy + zt + yz + tx is NOT positive
Since we cannot answer the target question with certainty, statement 1 is NOT SUFFICIENT

Statement 2: x + y + z + t = 0
Take: x + y + z + t = 0
Subtract y from both sides to get: x + z + t = -y
Subtract t from both sides to get: x + z = -y - t
Rewrite as follows: x + z = -(y + t)

Now take the expression in the target question: xy + zt + yz + tx
Rearrange the terms as follows: xy + yz + tx + zt
Factor the terms in PAIRS: y(x + z) + t(x + z)
Simplify to get: (y + t)(x + z)

Since we already know that x + z = -(y + t), we can replace (x + z) with -(y + t) to get: (y + t)[-(y + t)]
Notice that, if (y + t) is POSITIVE, then -(y + t) is NEGATIVE, which means (y + t)[-(y + t)] is NEGATIVE
Similarly, if (y + t) is NEGATIVE, then -(y + t) is POSITIVE, which means (y + t)[-(y + t)] is NEGATIVE
Finally, if (y + t) = 0, then -(y + t) = 0, which means (y + t)[-(y + t)] is ZERO
IMPORTANT: Notice that, in all 3 possible cases above, the answer to the target question is NO, xy + zt + yz + tx is NOT positive
Since we can answer the target question with certainty, statement 2 is SUFFICIENT

Answer: B

Cheers,
Brent
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Re: Is xy+zt+yz+tx > 0? [#permalink]
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Re: Is xy+zt+yz+tx > 0? [#permalink]
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