Last visit was: 24 Apr 2026, 17:44 It is currently 24 Apr 2026, 17:44
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.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 16,442
Own Kudos:
79,404
 [13]
Given Kudos: 485
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,442
Kudos: 79,404
 [13]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
11
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
medanova
Joined: 19 Aug 2010
Last visit: 15 Feb 2012
Posts: 51
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 51
Kudos: 112
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 16,442
Own Kudos:
79,404
 [1]
Given Kudos: 485
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,442
Kudos: 79,404
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
medanova
Joined: 19 Aug 2010
Last visit: 15 Feb 2012
Posts: 51
Own Kudos:
112
 [1]
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 51
Kudos: 112
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Quote:
2. The line represented by ax + by – c = 0 passes through (-3, 0).
with that information we don't know the slope of the line. It could be posivite, negative or a zero slope. If it has either positive or negative some solutions will lie in the III quadrant, if it has a zero slope-no. That is why I thought it's not sufficient.
User avatar
shrouded1
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 02 Sep 2010
Last visit: 29 Apr 2018
Posts: 608
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 25
Location: London
Products:
Posts: 608
Kudos: 3,231
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
A : Sufficient ... Since slope is 2, hence positive. This means that the line must pass through the third quadrant. The inequality ax+by>=c represents one side of the line. Since the line passes through the 3rd quadrant, either side has points from the 3rd quadrant. Hence the region will always havea bit of third quadrant.

B : Insuffcient ... Any line except the one with slope=0 will pass through 3rd quadrant and the above logic applies. But the line with slope 0 may or may not have the thrid quadrant points in the region included depending on which side we choose (sign of c)

Answer : A
User avatar
rockroars
Joined: 18 Mar 2010
Last visit: 23 Apr 2011
Posts: 28
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 11
Posts: 28
Kudos: 41
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I think the answer should be C.


We get the details of line and regions completely only after we club 1 and 2. After which we will be in a position to decide if Region R passes through 3rd Quad.
Attachments

Untitled.jpg
Untitled.jpg [ 39.86 KiB | Viewed 9303 times ]

User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 16,442
Own Kudos:
79,404
 [2]
Given Kudos: 485
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,442
Kudos: 79,404
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
rockroars: I appreciate the effort for the diagrams. But you made a tiny judgment error. Let me explain the answer in detail.

First of all, notice that ax + by – c = 0 or ax + by = c is the equation of the same line. A line divides the plane into two regions. One of them, where every point (x, y) satisfies ax + by ≥ c, is region R.

Statement 1: Slope of line is 2
Attachment:
Ques1.jpg
Ques1.jpg [ 7.64 KiB | Viewed 9248 times ]
the line will pass through third quadrant and hence both regions will lie in the third quadrant. Sufficient.

Statement 2: The line passes through (-3, 0).
Attachment:
Ques2.jpg
Ques2.jpg [ 7.56 KiB | Viewed 9222 times ]
A line passing through (-3, 0) could be the blue line or the green line. In either case, the line will pass through the third quadrant and hence, will have both regions in the third quadrant. So it is sufficient too? What about the x axis? That is also a line passing through (-3, 0). It does not pass through the third quadrant. We would need the equation of the line to find out whether our region R lies in the third quadrant. The equation of x axis is y = 0. So the required region is y ≥ 0 i.e. the first and second quadrant. Hence using just this information, we cannot say whether a point of region R lies in the third quadrant or not.
Answer (A)
User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 16,442
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 485
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,442
Kudos: 79,404
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
shrouded1
A : Sufficient ... Since slope is 2, hence positive. This means that the line must pass through the third quadrant. The inequality ax+by>=c represents one side of the line. Since the line passes through the 3rd quadrant, either side has points from the 3rd quadrant. Hence the region will always havea bit of third quadrant.

B : Insuffcient ... Any line except the one with slope=0 will pass through 3rd quadrant and the above logic applies. But the line with slope 0 may or may not have the thrid quadrant points in the region included depending on which side we choose (sign of c)

Answer : A

I am used to perfect answers from you shrouded1... But I think you missed out on a point here. c = 0 we know because it has to be x axis since it passes through (-3, 0). Since y >= 0 is the first and second quadrant hence we know that the region R may or not lie in third quadrant. If instead, we had ax+by <=c, statement 2 would be sufficient too.
Nonetheless, your answer is correct.

If I am missing something here, let me know. (I would like to believe that I didn't err in a question I made myself!)
User avatar
rockroars
Joined: 18 Mar 2010
Last visit: 23 Apr 2011
Posts: 28
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 11
Posts: 28
Kudos: 41
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
@VeritasPrepKarishma:

Okay! I realized where I made a mistake, a line with slope 2 is acute to x-axis. I assumed it to be obtuse to X axis.

Thanks a lot for your reply :)
User avatar
vaibhavtripathi
Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Last visit: 09 Oct 2015
Posts: 67
Own Kudos:
223
 [1]
Given Kudos: 9
Status:I rest, I rust.
Concentration: IT Major
Schools:ISB - Co 2013
GPA: 2.5-3.0
WE 1: IT Professional since 2006
Posts: 67
Kudos: 223
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
VeritasPrepKarishma
Let's try this relatively simple question:

Every point in the xy plane satisfying the condition ax + by ≥ c is said to be in region R. If a, b and c are real numbers, does any point of region R lie in the third quadrant?
1. Slope of the line represented by ax + by – c = 0 is 2.
2. The line represented by ax + by – c = 0 passes through (-3, 0).

Any line with a positive slope will pass from 1st and 3rd quadrant, and either "one of the other two quadrants" or the "origin".

S1: Slope is positive. Sufficient.
S2: Line passes from (-3,0) so the line either passes from 3rd Quadrant or the equation is of X-axis. Not Sufficient.

Answer: A
User avatar
Rajkiranmareedu
Joined: 20 Apr 2013
Last visit: 27 Oct 2013
Posts: 12
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 98
Concentration: Finance, Finance
GMAT Date: 06-03-2013
GPA: 3.3
WE:Accounting (Accounting)
Posts: 12
Kudos: 10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Karishma: I didn't understand. Could you explain a bit.

VeritasPrepKarishma
rockroars: I appreciate the effort for the diagrams. But you made a tiny judgment error. Let me explain the answer in detail.

First of all, notice that ax + by – c = 0 or ax + by = c is the equation of the same line.A line divides the plane into two regions. One of them, where every point (x, y) satisfies ax + by ≥ c, is region R.

Statement 1: Slope of line is 2
Attachment:
Ques1.jpg
the line will pass through third quadrant and hence both regions will lie in the third quadrant. Sufficient.
Statement 2: The line passes through (-3, 0).
Attachment:
Ques2.jpg
A line passing through (-3, 0) could be the blue line or the green line. In either case, the line will pass through the third quadrant and hence, will have both regions in the third quadrant. So it is sufficient too? What about the x axis? That is also a line passing through (-3, 0). It does not pass through the third quadrant. We would need the equation of the line to find out whether our region R lies in the third quadrant. The equation of x axis is y = 0. So the required region is y ≥ 0 i.e. the first and second quadrant. Hence using just this information, we cannot say whether a point of region R lies in the third quadrant or not.
Answer (A)
User avatar
Bluelagoon
Joined: 21 Jan 2010
Last visit: 03 Sep 2015
Posts: 191
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 12
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Let's try this relatively simple question:

Every point in the xy plane satisfying the condition ax + by ≥ c is said to be in region R. If a, b and c are real numbers, does any point of region R lie in the third quadrant?
1. Slope of the line represented by ax + by – c = 0 is 2.
2. The line represented by ax + by – c = 0 passes through (-3, 0).

This is bit tricky question.
You have to know that a line with positive slope makes an acute angle with the x axis or it always passes through 1 and 3rd quadrant. This is like a theorm. Helpful in some cases. Since Slope is +. It gives the soln.

2.Now here you have look back at the question and see the value of a,b and c. The points a,b and c will always pass through 3rd quadrant barring one case. In case the line is x - axis itself. ie x = 0 . and c =0 and b = 1.

Hence A gives a clear soln.
User avatar
KarishmaB
Joined: 16 Oct 2010
Last visit: 23 Apr 2026
Posts: 16,442
Own Kudos:
79,404
 [1]
Given Kudos: 485
Location: Pune, India
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 16,442
Kudos: 79,404
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Rajkiranmareedu
Karishma: I didn't understand. Could you explain a bit.

VeritasPrepKarishma
rockroars: I appreciate the effort for the diagrams. But you made a tiny judgment error. Let me explain the answer in detail.

First of all, notice that ax + by – c = 0 or ax + by = c is the equation of the same line.A line divides the plane into two regions. One of them, where every point (x, y) satisfies ax + by ≥ c, is region R.

Statement 1: Slope of line is 2
Attachment:
Ques1.jpg
the line will pass through third quadrant and hence both regions will lie in the third quadrant. Sufficient.
Statement 2: The line passes through (-3, 0).
Attachment:
Ques2.jpg
A line passing through (-3, 0) could be the blue line or the green line. In either case, the line will pass through the third quadrant and hence, will have both regions in the third quadrant. So it is sufficient too? What about the x axis? That is also a line passing through (-3, 0). It does not pass through the third quadrant. We would need the equation of the line to find out whether our region R lies in the third quadrant. The equation of x axis is y = 0. So the required region is y ≥ 0 i.e. the first and second quadrant. Hence using just this information, we cannot say whether a point of region R lies in the third quadrant or not.
Answer (A)



A line (which by definition, extends infinitely at both sides) given by ax+by - c = 0 splits a region into two sections - one on the left side of the line and the other on the right side of the side. One of these two regions will satisfy ax+by - c < 0 and the other will satisfy ax+by - c > 0.
How do you know which region satisfies which inequality? Put a point from that region in the inequalities and see what it satisfies e.g. if (0, 0) doesn't lie on the line, put x = 0, y = 0
If c is negative, ax+by - c < 0 will be satisfied and the region that contains the point (0, 0) i.e. the origin of the axis will satisfy ax+by - c < 0.
In that case, the other region will satisfy ax+by - c > 0.

Which quadrants will lie in any particular region depends on where the line is located. If it is a vertical line passing through first and fourth quadrant, second and third quadrant will lie to its left and some part of first and fourth quadrants will also lie to its left. Rest of the first and fourth quadrants will lie to its right (make a line and see what i mean)
Similarly, try making a line with a positive slope, say 2. It will pass through first and third quadrants in ALL cases (remember, a line extends indefinitely at both ends). Since it will pass through the third quadrant, both the regions will have a part of the third quadrant.
User avatar
Rajkiranmareedu
Joined: 20 Apr 2013
Last visit: 27 Oct 2013
Posts: 12
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 98
Concentration: Finance, Finance
GMAT Date: 06-03-2013
GPA: 3.3
WE:Accounting (Accounting)
Posts: 12
Kudos: 10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,975
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,975
Kudos: 1,117
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Automated notice from GMAT Club BumpBot:

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

This post was generated automatically.
Moderators:
Math Expert
109818 posts
498 posts
212 posts