Bunuel
Is x < y ?
(1) 1/x < 1/y
(2) x + y = 10
Solution
Step 1: Analyse Question Stem
• We need to find out if \(x < y\)
Step 2: Analyse Statements Independently (And eliminate options) – AD/BCE
Statement 1: 1/x < 1/y
• Let us consider following two cases:
• Case 1: \(\frac{1}{x} = -\frac{1}{2}\) and \(\frac{1}{y} = \frac{1}{2}\), so that \(\frac{1}{x }< \frac{1}{y}\)
o In this case, \(x = -2\) and \(y = 2 \)
o Hence, \(x < y\)
• Case 2: \(\frac{1}{x }= \frac{1}{2}\) and \(\frac{1}{y} =2\), so that \(\frac{1}{x} < \frac{1}{y}\)
o In this case, \(x = 2\) and \(y = \frac{1}{2}\)
o Hence, \(x > y\)
• The above two results are contradictory.
Hence, statement 1 is
NOT sufficient and we can eliminate answer option A and D.
Statement 2: x + y = 10
• Let us consider the following two cases:
• Case 1: \(x = 1\) and \(y = 9\) so that \(x+y = 10\)
• Case 2: \(x = 9\) and \(y = 1\) so that \(x+y = 10\)
• The above two results are contradictory.
Hence, statement 2 is also
NOT sufficient and we can eliminate answer B.
Step 3: Analyse Statements by Combining
From statement 1: \(\frac{1}{x} < \frac{1}{y}\)
From statement 2: \(x + y = 10\)
On combining the both statements, out of many possibilities that exist, let us consider below two possible values of x and y such that \(\frac{1}{x} < \frac{1}{y} \)and \(x+y = 10\)
• Case 1: \(x = 9\) and \(y = 1 \)
o \(9 +1 = 10\) and \(\frac{1}{9 }< 1\)
o Here, x > y
• Case 2: \(x = -9\) and \(y = 19\)
o \(-9+19 = 10\) and \(-\frac{1}{9} < \frac{1}{19}\)
o Here, x < y
Still we are getting two different results.
Thus, the correct answer is
Option E