GMAT Quant: do nonzero integers mean greater than or equal to 1?

Question

Question 121 on OG (2015). When x and y are nonzero integers, should we think about scenarios when x and y are > or =1?

mvictor · Answer

non-zero positive means x>0, or all numbers except zero
non-zero negative means x<0, or all numbers except zero
if the question tells us that x or y is non-zero, we can definitely take into consideration that x and/or y is equal to 1. The trick here is to take into consideration the negative values as well.

TeamGMATIFY · Answer

Hi aynurn,

When the question says "x and y are nonzero integers", then x and y can take all the numbers on the number line except 0.
In this case, the possible values can be "x and y > 0" or "x and y < 0" and the values have to be integers.

However, if the question says x and y are positive non zero integers or negative non zero integers, then we would take the positive and negative values respectively.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi aynurn,

It's not clear which question from the OG you're referring to (since neither PS #121 nor DS #121 use this language), but GMAT questions are always carefully worded, so you have to pay attention to the specific details that you're given.

The phrase "non-0 integer" means any WHOLE number OTHER than 0. Examples would include -3, -2, -1, 1, 2, 3, etc.

The GMAT will never use the phrase "positive non-zero integer" because that language is redundant (if the integer is positive, then it CAN'T be zero).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

Non zero integers simply mean integers that are not = 0
Hence you can consider all the integers on the number line apart from 0, be it positive or negative, in this case.

aynurn · Answer

Thank you everyone. I was referring to DS question 121 in Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review (2015).

chetan2u · Answer

Hi, I am sure you meant this only but it will be better to say the coloured portion as x>0 or x<0 and y<0 or y>0.. because you can have x>0 and y<0...

GMATPill · Answer

Non-zero integer -- you should almost always check every possibility. When it comes to integers, they are talking about -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2.

Just exclude 0 since the remaining are non-zero.

You don't have to worry about fractions because by definition, integers are whole numbers. It's just that they can be positive or negative. Try those out and you should be good. I wasn't able to find your question in our  OG Tracker  but phrases like 'non-zero' are common on the GMAT.

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GMAT Quant: do nonzero integers mean greater than or equal to 1?

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