If x and y are integers and -50

Question

If x and y are integers and -50 < x < 0, what is the greatest possible value of xy ?

(1) y ≥ 1 
(2) y = -x.

Soumya200011 · Answer

Yes, right. Edited now

Posted from my mobile device

argerniki · Answer

Statement 1:
y >= 1

When y gets bigger, x/y gets closer to zero (or x/y gets "bigger").
Y has no upper limit, therefor we don't know the maximum value of x/y

For example...
 \frac{-1}{1} = -1 
 \frac{-1}{10} = -0.1 
 \frac{-1}{1000} = -0,001 
...and so on

NOT SUFFICIENT

Statement 2:
y = -x

This will always result in -1, because x is always negative, y is always positive (the opposite) and they both have the same value

\frac{-50}{50} = -1 
 \frac{-1}{1} = -1 
and so one

We have only one possible value for x/y

SUFFICIENT

CEdward · Answer

For statement 1, it runs until infinity so isn't technically the largest possible number imaginable the 'upper limit'? Maybe I am overthinking this.

Scuven · Answer

How can It be that A is not sufficient?

X/Y will be max for X max and Y min

Thus if according to A y is greater or equal than 1 then Y MIN =1
Then we know that X max is -1 (range is between zero and minus 50 excluded).

Thus max value is 1/1=1

What's wrong with this reasoning? If y grows then the number will decrease

VikasReddyK · Answer

Analyze the question: -50 < x < 0, x and y are integers

I. -49 <= x <= -1, y >= 1, x/y is negative. The maximum value will be close to zero. So use -1 for x, as any other value will give a smaller x/y. y can be infinitely large and no definite value can be singled out. Hence insufficient.
II. y = -x, x/y = -1. Maximum value = -1. Sufficient.

Answer: B

MBAB123 · Answer

Scuven 
Firstly, the max value can never be 1, it will always be negative in both the statements. Y goes to infinity, so you don't know the max value. 
Obviously X=-1 for max considering max values. So if y =1, x/y=-1 and if y=2, x/y= -1/2 = -0.5
-0.5>-1.

Essentially as you keep on increasing the denominator, the absolute value of the fraction would keep on falling but the actual value will increase as the fraction is negative!

If x and y are integers and -50 < x < 0, what is the greatest possible

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Data Sufficiency (DS) Questions