Inequality and absolute value questions from my collection

Hi Bunuel, I solved it as below
(1) 2x-2y=1 -> x-y= 1/2. This means x>y by 1/2 but x can be 1/2 and y=0 so this is insufficient
(2) x/y=1 -> x>y which is no different from (1) so insufficient again

But I didn't follow your approach on combining the 2 statements, how did you get x to be substituted by 1/y? The fact that x is positive is already proved by (1) isn't it?
Please help out.

7. |x+2|=|y+2| what is the value of x+y?
(1) xy<0
(2) x>2 y<2

This one is quite interesting.

First note that |x+2|=|y+2| can take only two possible forms:

A. x+2=y+2 --> x=y. This will occur if and only x and y are both >= than -2 OR both <= than -2. In that case x=y. Which means that their product will always be positive or zero when x=y=0.
B. x+2=-y-2 --> x+y=-4. This will occur when either x or y is less then -2 and the other is more than -2.

When we have scenario A, xy will be nonnegative only. Hence if xy is negative we have scenario B and x+y=-4. Also note that vise-versa is not right. Meaning that we can have scenario B and xy may be positive as well as negative.

(1) xy<0 --> We have scenario B, hence x+y=-4. Sufficient.

(2) x>2 and y<2, x is not equal to y, we don't have scenario A, hence we have scenario B, hence x+y=-4. Sufficient.

Answer: D.

Still not clear on this one.
Can you please explain why is 1 insufficient I am not able to eliminate 1 also why is not C sufficient?
Thanks in Advance

8. a*b#0. Is |a|/|b|=a/b?
(1) |a*b|=a*b
(2) |a|/|b|=|a/b|

|a|/|b|=a/b is true if and only a and b have the same sign, meaning a/b is positive.

(1) |a*b|=a*b, means a and b are both positive or both negative, as LHS is never negative (well in this case LHS is positive as neither a nor b equals to zero). Hence a/b is positive in any case. Hence |a|/|b|=a/b. Sufficient.

(2) |a|/|b|=|a/b|, from this we can not conclude whether they have the same sign or not. Not sufficient.

Answer: A.

Can someone clarify whether |a/b|=|a|\|b| exists as a property?

2. If y is an integer and y = |x| + x, is y = 0?

Notice that from \(y=|x|+x\) it follows that y cannot be negative:
If\(x>0\), then \(y=x+x=2x=2*positive=positive\);
If \(x\leq{0}\) (when x is negative or zero) then \(y=-x+x=0\).

(1) \(x<0\) --> \(y=|x|+x=-x+x=0\). Sufficient.

(2) \(y<1\). We found out above that y cannot be negative and we are given that y is an integer, hence \(y=0\). Sufficient.


Answer: D.

HiBunuel,

Shouldn't it be like this

if |x|=x if \(x\geq 0\)
then y=x+x which means y=2x

and if f |x|= - x if x<0
then
y=-x+x which means y=0

Probus.

9. Is n<0?
(1) -n=|-n|
(2) n^2=16

(1) -n=|-n|, means that either n is negative OR n equals to zero. We are asked whether n is negative so we can not be sure. Not sufficient.

(2) n^2=16 --> n=4 or n=-4. Not sufficient.

(1)+(2) n is negative OR n equals to zero from (1), n is 4 or -4 from (2). --> n=-4, hence it's negative, sufficient.

Answer: C.

Is (1) even a correct clue? How can an absolute value be negative? Please help me understand.

10. If n is not equal to 0, is |n| < 4 ?
(1) n^2 > 16
(2) 1/|n| > n

Question basically asks is -4<n<4 true.

(1) n^2>16 --> n>4 or n<-4, the answer to the question is NO. Sufficient.

(2) 1/|n| > n, this is true for all negative values of n, hence we can not answer the question. Not sufficient.

Answer: A.

3. Is x^2 + y^2 > 4a?
(1) (x + y)^2 = 9a
(2) (x – y)^2 = a

(1) (x + y)^2 = 9a --> x^2+2xy+y^2=9a. Clearly insufficient.

(2) (x – y)^2 = a --> x^2-2xy+y^2=a. Clearly insufficient.

(1)+(2) Add them up 2(x^2+y^2)=10a --> x^2+y^2=5a. Also insufficient as x,y, and a could be 0 and x^2 + y^2 > 4a won't be true, as LHS and RHS would be in that case equal to zero. Not sufficient.

Answer: E.

7. |x+2|=|y+2| what is the value of x+y?
(1) xy<0
(2) x>2 y<2

This one is quite interesting.

First note that |x+2|=|y+2| can take only two possible forms:

A. x+2=y+2 --> x=y. This will occur if and only x and y are both >= than -2 OR both <= than -2. In that case x=y. Which means that their product will always be positive or zero when x=y=0.
B. x+2=-y-2 --> x+y=-4. This will occur when either x or y is less then -2 and the other is more than -2.

When we have scenario A, xy will be nonnegative only. Hence if xy is negative we have scenario B and x+y=-4. Also note that vise-versa is not right. Meaning that we can have scenario B and xy may be positive as well as negative.

(1) xy<0 --> We have scenario B, hence x+y=-4. Sufficient.

(2) x>2 and y<2, x is not equal to y, we don't have scenario A, hence we have scenario B, hence x+y=-4. Sufficient.

Answer: D.

Hi Bunuel,

Can you please explain your analysis for statement (a). I don't think I understood it well

11. Is |x+y|>|x-y|?
(1) |x| > |y|
(2) |x-y| < |x|

To answer this question you should visualize it. We have comparison of two absolute values. Ask yourself when |x+y| is more then than |x-y|? If and only when x and y have the same sign absolute value of x+y will always be more than absolute value of x-y. As x+y when they have the same sign will contribute to each other and x-y will not.

5+3=8 and 5-3=2
OR -5-3=-8 and -5-(-3)=-2.

So if we could somehow conclude that x and y have the same sign or not we would be able to answer the question.

(1) |x| > |y|, this tell us nothing about the signs of x and y. Not sufficient.

(2) |x-y| < |x|, says that the distance between x and y is less than distance between x and origin. This can only happen when x and y have the same sign, when they are both positive or both negative, when they are at the same side from the origin. Sufficient. (Note that vise-versa is not right, meaning that x and y can have the same sign but |x| can be less than |x-y|, but if |x|>|x-y| the only possibility is x and y to have the same sign.)

Answer: B.

I'm getting c

1. s can be 3 and r can be 3 which makes question yes
s can be 3 and r can be 2 which makes question no
insufficient

2. r can be 3 and s can be 3 makes question yes
r can be 3 s can be 2 makes question no
insufficient

combining:
|r|>=s means
r>=s or r<=-s

and -s<=r<=s means
-s<=r and r<=s

now we have -s<=r and -s>=r so -s = r or s = r
r>=s and r<=s so s = r

4. Are x and y both positive?
(1) 2x-2y=1
(2) x/y>1

(1) 2x-2y=1. Well this one is clearly insufficient. You can do it with number plugging OR consider the following: x and y both positive means that point (x,y) is in the I quadrant. 2x-2y=1 --> y=x-1/2, we know it's an equation of a line and basically question asks whether this line (all (x,y) points of this line) is only in I quadrant. It's just not possible. Not sufficient.

(2) x/y>1 --> x and y have the same sign. But we don't know whether they are both positive or both negative. Not sufficient.

(1)+(2) Again it can be done with different approaches. You should just find the one which is the less time-consuming and comfortable for you personally.

One of the approaches:
\(2x-2y=1\) --> \(x=y+\frac{1}{2}\)
\(\frac{x}{y}>1\) --> \(\frac{x-y}{y}>0\) --> substitute x --> \(\frac{1}{y}>0\) --> \(y\) is positive, and as \(x=y+\frac{1}{2}\), \(x\) is positive too. Sufficient.

Answer: C.

If I were to substitute values instead, to check if C is correct

The first equation can be written as x-y = 0.5

Using second equation, I know x is greater than y.

If I substitute x = 2.5 and y = 2, both my values are positive and x-y = 0.5

However, if I use x = -2 and y = -2.5, then x - y = -2 - (-2.5) = 0.5 is also true.

In this case, both x and y are negative. So I thought the answer should be E.

Please explain. Thanks

13. Is |x-1| < 1?
(1) (x-1)^2 <= 1
(2) x^2 - 1 > 0

Last one.

Is |x-1| < 1? Basically the question asks is 0<x<2 true?

(1) (x-1)^2 <= 1 --> x^2-2x<=0 --> x(x-2)<=0 --> 0<=x<=2. x is in the range (0,2) inclusive. This is the trick here. x can be 0 or 2! Else it would be sufficient. So not sufficient.

(2) x^2 - 1 > 0 --> x<-1 or x>1. Not sufficient.

(1)+(2) Intersection of the ranges from 1 and 2 is 1<x<=2. Again 2 is included in the range, thus as x can be 2, we cannot say for sure that 0<x<2 is true. Not sufficient.

Answer: E.

13. Is |x-1| < 1?
(1) (x-1)^2 <= 1
(2) x^2 - 1 > 0

Last one.

Is |x-1| < 1? Basically the question asks is 0<x<2 true?

(1) (x-1)^2 <= 1 --> x^2-2x<=0 --> x(x-2)<=0 --> 0<=x<=2. x is in the range (0,2) inclusive. This is the trick here. x can be 0 or 2! Else it would be sufficient. So not sufficient.

(2) x^2 - 1 > 0 --> x<-1 or x>1. Not sufficient.

(1)+(2) Intersection of the ranges from 1 and 2 is 1<x<=2. Again 2 is included in the range, thus as x can be 2, we cannot say for sure that 0<x<2 is true. Not sufficient.

Answer: E.