Last visit was: 28 Apr 2026, 08:13 It is currently 28 Apr 2026, 08:13
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
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 28 Apr 2026
Posts: 109,949
Own Kudos:
811,724
 [3]
Given Kudos: 105,927
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 109,949
Kudos: 811,724
 [3]
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
rohit8865
Joined: 05 Mar 2015
Last visit: 19 Apr 2026
Posts: 815
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 45
Products:
Posts: 815
Kudos: 1,008
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
matthewsmith_89
Joined: 06 Dec 2016
Last visit: 06 Oct 2017
Posts: 177
Own Kudos:
67
 [1]
Given Kudos: 10
Posts: 177
Kudos: 67
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
LHC8717
Joined: 25 Nov 2016
Last visit: 29 Aug 2017
Posts: 43
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 12
Location: Switzerland
GPA: 3
Posts: 43
Kudos: 28
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
rohit8865
Bunuel
If –8 < k < 8, is k < –2 ?

(1) k^2 – 7k – 18 > 0
(2) 1/k < 1/2


(1) (k+2)(k-9)>0
or k<2 and k>9
insuff

(2) 1/k-1/2<0

2-k/2k<0
thus k>2 or k<0....insuff

combining we get
k>9 or k <0
insuff

Ans E

I think you forgot that k is between -8 and 8

=> (1) If we simplify (k+2) * (k-9) > 0

=> k>9 or k<-2 => k must be smaller than -2 because k is between -8 and 8 => Sufficient

(2) k could be 6 or -4 for example (1/6< 1/2 and 1/(-4) < 1/2). => Insufficient

Answer A
User avatar
rohit8865
Joined: 05 Mar 2015
Last visit: 19 Apr 2026
Posts: 815
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 45
Products:
Posts: 815
Kudos: 1,008
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
LHC8717
rohit8865
Bunuel
If –8 < k < 8, is k < –2 ?

(1) k^2 – 7k – 18 > 0
(2) 1/k < 1/2


(1) (k+2)(k-9)>0
or k<2 and k>9
insuff

(2) 1/k-1/2<0

2-k/2k<0
thus k>2 or k<0....insuff

combining we get
k>9 or k <0
insuff

Ans E

I think you forgot that k is between -8 and 8

=> (1) If we simplify (k+2) * (k-9) > 0

=> k>9 or k<-2 => k must be smaller than -2 because k is between -8 and 8 => Sufficient

(2) k could be 6 or -4 for example (1/6< 1/2 and 1/(-4) < 1/2). => Insufficient

Answer A


BIG BLUNDER!

Edited!!
Anyway thanks

Answer must be A
avatar
matthewsmith_89
Joined: 06 Dec 2016
Last visit: 06 Oct 2017
Posts: 177
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 10
Posts: 177
Kudos: 67
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
LHC8717 I understand the first one is sufficient. However why the second one is not sufficient. Explain. What am I doing wrong?
User avatar
KrishnakumarKA1
Joined: 05 Jan 2017
Last visit: 13 Oct 2020
Posts: 398
Own Kudos:
314
 [1]
Given Kudos: 15
Location: India
Posts: 398
Kudos: 314
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
St 1: (k-9)(k+2)>0.. therefore k<-2 or k>9. since -8<k<8. therefore k<-2. ANSWER
St 2: 1/k<1/2 or 1/k-1/2<0 or (2-k)/2k<0 or k>2 or k<0. INSUFFICIENT

Option A
User avatar
LHC8717
Joined: 25 Nov 2016
Last visit: 29 Aug 2017
Posts: 43
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 12
Location: Switzerland
GPA: 3
Posts: 43
Kudos: 28
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
matthewsmith_89
LHC8717 I understand the first one is sufficient. However why the second one is not sufficient. Explain. What am I doing wrong?

You can use the method from the other answer to find k>2 or k<0 but for me that was time consuming.

The question ask if k is smaller than -2 or not (k<-2)

Then the second statement say that 1/k < 1/2 => 1/k must be smaller than 1/2 and therefore k must be higher than 2 or to be negative.

We know that k is between -8 and 8 and then I just took random number 6 and -4. Therefore we see that k could be higher or smaller than -2 then we cannot answer the question with this statement.

Hope you understand matthewsmith_89!
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,987
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,987
Kudos: 1,119
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
109949 posts
498 posts
212 posts