Last visit was: 03 Sep 2026, 10:45 It is currently 03 Sep 2026, 10:45
Home
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
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
Back to Forum
Create Topic
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 113,090
Own Kudos:
838,882
 [19]
Given Kudos: 111,298
Products:
GMAT Club Tests
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 113,090
Kudos: 838,882
 [19]
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 07 Feb 2019, 01:36
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
17
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
00:00
Start Timer
Pause Timer
Resume Timer
Show Answer
Hide
Show
History
E
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

55% (hard)

Question Stats:

65% (01:30) correct 35% (01:25) wrong based on 867 sessions

History

Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct?


A. \(x^{-3} < x^{-2} < x^{-1}\)

B. \(x^{-1} < x^{-2} < x^{-3}\)

C. \(x^{-1} < x^{-3} < x^{-2}\)

D. \(x^{-2} < x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)

E. \(x^{-3} < x^{-1} < x^{-2}\)
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
E
User avatar
kunalcvrce
User avatar
Joined: 05 Feb 2016
Last visit: 09 Apr 2025
Posts: 131
Own Kudos:
136
 [1]
Given Kudos: 72
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Marketing
WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)
Posts: 131
Kudos: 136
 [1]
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 07 Feb 2019, 02:11
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct?


A. \(x^{-3} < x^{-2} < x^{-1}\)

B. \(x^{-1} < x^{-2} < x^{-3}\)

C. \(x^{-1} < x^{-3} < x^{-2}\)

D. \(x^{-2} < x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)

E. \(x^{-3} < x^{-1} < x^{-2}\)
Show more


\(x^{-2}\) is always positive so greatest among \(x^{-3},x^{-1}\) So A,B,D eliminated

by putting values we can tell \(x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)
So E
User avatar
Hoozan
User avatar
Joined: 28 Sep 2018
Last visit: 30 Dec 2025
Posts: 642
Own Kudos:
749
Given Kudos: 248
GMAT 1: 660 Q48 V33 (Online)
GMAT 2: 700 Q49 V37
Products:
My Reviews
GMAT 2: 700 Q49 V37
Posts: 642
Kudos: 749
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 07 Feb 2019, 02:32
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct?

Inference
X = (-0.1,-0.01...)
X = (-1/10, -1/100...)

From the above it clear that X is a proper fraction

Now for all proper fractions
X > X^2 > X^3...

I.e. X^small power > X^large power

We are given X^-1 which is the highest power and X^-3 which is the smallest power since -3<-1

Thus we can say that
X^-3 > X^-2 > X^-1 (B)

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
Hoozan
User avatar
Joined: 28 Sep 2018
Last visit: 30 Dec 2025
Posts: 642
Own Kudos:
749
Given Kudos: 248
GMAT 1: 660 Q48 V33 (Online)
GMAT 2: 700 Q49 V37
Products:
My Reviews
GMAT 2: 700 Q49 V37
Posts: 642
Kudos: 749
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 07 Feb 2019, 02:46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
kunalcvrce
Bunuel
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct?


A. \(x^{-3} < x^{-2} < x^{-1}\)

B. \(x^{-1} < x^{-2} < x^{-3}\)

C. \(x^{-1} < x^{-3} < x^{-2}\)

D. \(x^{-2} < x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)

E. \(x^{-3} < x^{-1} < x^{-2}\)


\(x^{-2}\) is always positive so greatest among \(x^{-3},x^{-1}\) So A,B,D eliminated

by putting values we can tell \(x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)
So E
Show more


I get what you did

X^-1 = 1/X
X^-2 = 1/X^2
X^-3 = 1/X^3


If X = -0.1 then we get
X^-1 =-1/0.1
X^-2 = 1/0.01
X^-3 = -1/0.001

X^-2 > X^-1 > X^-3

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
chetan2u
User avatar
GMAT Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 11,288
Own Kudos:
46,078
 [1]
Given Kudos: 339
Status:Math and DI Expert
Location: India
Concentration: Human Resources, General Management
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Products:
My Reviews
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Posts: 11,288
Kudos: 46,078
 [1]
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 07 Feb 2019, 02:47
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct?


A. \(x^{-3} < x^{-2} < x^{-1}\)

B. \(x^{-1} < x^{-2} < x^{-3}\)

C. \(x^{-1} < x^{-3} < x^{-2}\)

D. \(x^{-2} < x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)

E. \(x^{-3} < x^{-1} < x^{-2}\)
Show more


Simply take x as -0.1,that is -1/10..
. \(x^{-1} =(-1/10)^{-1}=-10.... x^{-2} =(-1/10)^{-2}=(-10)^2=100......x^{-3}=(-1/10)^{-3}=(-10)^{-3}=-1000\)..
So . \(x^{-3} < x^{-1} < x^{-2}\)

E
User avatar
KanishkM
User avatar
Joined: 09 Mar 2018
Last visit: 18 Dec 2021
Posts: 755
Own Kudos:
517
Given Kudos: 123
Location: India
Schools: DeGroote'21 Desautels '21 NUS '21
Schools: DeGroote'21 Desautels '21 NUS '21
Posts: 755
Kudos: 517
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 07 Feb 2019, 03:15
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct?


A. \(x^{-3} < x^{-2} < x^{-1}\)

B. \(x^{-1} < x^{-2} < x^{-3}\)

C. \(x^{-1} < x^{-3} < x^{-2}\)

D. \(x^{-2} < x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)

E. \(x^{-3} < x^{-1} < x^{-2}\)
Show more

Out of the above options bottom 2 will be C and E

Now just pick a value, x = -0.5

Only E satisfies the above value.

E
User avatar
ScottTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 22,722
Own Kudos:
26,926
Given Kudos: 302
Status:Founder & CEO
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Location: United States (CA)
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 22,722
Kudos: 26,926
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 10 Feb 2019, 08:49
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct?


A. \(x^{-3} < x^{-2} < x^{-1}\)

B. \(x^{-1} < x^{-2} < x^{-3}\)

C. \(x^{-1} < x^{-3} < x^{-2}\)

D. \(x^{-2} < x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)

E. \(x^{-3} < x^{-1} < x^{-2}\)
Show more

We can let x = -1/2, thus:

(-1/2)^-3 = (-2)^3 = -8

(-1/2)^-2 = (-2)^2 = 4

(-1/2)^-1 = (-2^)1 = -2

Thus, x^-3 < x^-1 < x^-2.

Answer: E
User avatar
RahuloBKL
User avatar
Joined: 08 May 2026
Last visit: 01 Sep 2026
Posts: 72
Own Kudos:
13
Given Kudos: 7
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
Schools: ESSEC MiM '27 HEC MiM '27 Imperial
GMAT Focus 1: 605 Q84 V79 DI79
GPA: 7.33
WE:Education (Other)
Schools: ESSEC MiM '27 HEC MiM '27 Imperial
GMAT Focus 1: 605 Q84 V79 DI79
Posts: 72
Kudos: 13
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 09 Aug 2026, 22:56
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Given −1 < x < 0, we need to compare:
x−1,x−2,x−3
Since x is negative and between −1 and 0, let's use an example: x=−21.
Then:
x−1=−1/21=−2 x−2=(−1/2)21=4 x−3=(−1/2)31=−8
So:
x−3<x−1<x−2
Therefore, the correct answer is E. ✅
Bunuel
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct?


A. \(x^{-3} < x^{-2} < x^{-1}\)

B. \(x^{-1} < x^{-2} < x^{-3}\)

C. \(x^{-1} < x^{-3} < x^{-2}\)

D. \(x^{-2} < x^{-3} < x^{-1}\)

E. \(x^{-3} < x^{-1} < x^{-2}\)
Show more
User avatar
officiisnobis
User avatar
Joined: 24 Feb 2026
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 103
Own Kudos:
18
Given Kudos: 82
Products:
GMAT Club Tests
Posts: 103
Kudos: 18
If -1 < x < 0, which of the following is correct? 21 Aug 2026, 19:32
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
x=-1/2

x^-1=-2
x^-2=4
x^-3=-8

-8<-2<4
Hence E
Moderator:
Bunuel
Math Expert
113090 posts