Last visit was: 25 Apr 2026, 09:57 It is currently 25 Apr 2026, 09:57
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
avatar
sarthakaggarwal
avatar
Joined: 30 Aug 2021
Last visit: 22 Jul 2025
Posts: 81
Own Kudos:
116
Given Kudos: 15
Location: India
GPA: 3.44
Posts: 81
Kudos: 116
Absolute values 09 Sep 2021, 03:34
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello everyone!
I am having some problems with absolute values question especially when they are clubbed with inequalities (in this special case i am having more prob in PS questions than DS ones)
Although i am pretty sure I know the all the rules of absolute but still having problem with questions when they appear on mocks
Any advice?

Archived Topic
Hi there,
This topic has been closed and archived due to inactivity or violation of community quality standards. No more replies are possible here.
Where to now? Join ongoing discussions on thousands of quality questions in our Quantitative Questions Forum
Still interested in this question? Check out the "Best Topics" block below for a better discussion on this exact question, as well as several more related questions.
Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!
User avatar
EMPOWERgmatRichC
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Last visit: 31 Dec 2023
Posts: 21,777
Own Kudos:
13,050
Given Kudos: 450
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Posts: 21,777
Kudos: 13,050
Absolute values 09 Sep 2021, 17:17
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi sarthakaggarwal,

The concept of Absolute Values is relatively rare on the GMAT; you'll likely see it just 1-2 times on Test Day. By extension, focusing too much on that one subject might not be the best use of your time right now (especially if you are missing out on lots of potential points in other areas). That having been said, most GMAT questions are written so that they can be approached in more than one way - and if you're trying to take an Algebra-heavy, 'math' approach to these types of questions, then that might be making solving these prompts more difficult.

Do you have any examples of the types of Absolutely value questions that you find challenging?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
User avatar
ScottTargetTestPrep
User avatar
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 14 Oct 2015
Last visit: 25 Apr 2026
Posts: 22,286
Own Kudos:
26,536
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: 22,286
Kudos: 26,536
Absolute values 09 Sep 2021, 19:46
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi sarthakaggarwal,

Do you have any examples that you can share here?
avatar
sarthakaggarwal
avatar
Joined: 30 Aug 2021
Last visit: 22 Jul 2025
Posts: 81
Own Kudos:
116
Given Kudos: 15
Location: India
GPA: 3.44
Posts: 81
Kudos: 116
Absolute values 10 Sep 2021, 00:42
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
EMPOWERgmatRichC
Hi sarthakaggarwal,

The concept of Absolute Values is relatively rare on the GMAT; you'll likely see it just 1-2 times on Test Day. By extension, focusing too much on that one subject might not be the best use of your time right now (especially if you are missing out on lots of potential points in other areas). That having been said, most GMAT questions are written so that they can be approached in more than one way - and if you're trying to take an Algebra-heavy, 'math' approach to these types of questions, then that might be making solving these prompts more difficult.

Do you have any examples of the types of Absolutely value questions that you find challenging?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Show more
Thank you for the reply
The absolute value questions troubling me the most are the could be true and must be true questions.
Most of the times i miss a certain case and get my answer wrong and even in questions i answer correctly i spend like 3-4 mins
avatar
sarthakaggarwal
avatar
Joined: 30 Aug 2021
Last visit: 22 Jul 2025
Posts: 81
Own Kudos:
116
Given Kudos: 15
Location: India
GPA: 3.44
Posts: 81
Kudos: 116
Absolute values 10 Sep 2021, 00:49
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
ScottTargetTestPrep
Hi sarthakaggarwal,

Do you have any examples that you can share here?
Show more
Thank you for the reply i am having most trouble in could be true and must be true questions which involve the concepts of absolute values and inequalties
Most of the times I somehow took the longer and more difficult approach and i don't know when to use which approach
One of the gmat club exam question i did wrong was-

If x and y are positive integers, is x a prime number?


(1) |x−2|<2−y

(2) x+y−3=|1−y|
User avatar
EMPOWERgmatRichC
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Last visit: 31 Dec 2023
Posts: 21,777
Own Kudos:
13,050
Given Kudos: 450
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
Posts: 21,777
Kudos: 13,050
Absolute values 10 Sep 2021, 13:39
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi sarthakaggarwal,

Many DS questions can be solved by TESTing VALUES - and this prompt gives us a great opportunity to do so. As with any question, you have to pay attention to the 'restrictions' that the prompt places on us, including the fact that the result of an Absolute Value calculation will NEVER be a negative number (that result will either be a positive number or a 0).

If X and Y are POSITIVE INTEGERS, is X a PRIME number?

1) |X−2| < 2−Y

2) X+Y−3 = |1−Y|

Here, we're restricted to positive integers ONLY and we're asked if X is a PRIME number. This is a YES/NO question.

1) |X−2| < 2−Y

Notice that the 'left side' of this inequality includes an Absolute Value, so that part of the calculation cannot be any smaller than 0. This is interesting, since the 'right side' must be GREATER than the 'left side', but we are SUBTRACTING a positive number from 2. This severely limits the value of Y.

Y CANNOT be 3.... since 2-3 = -1... and that won't be greater than the 'left side'
Y CANNOT be 2.... since 2-2 = 0... and that won't be greater than the 'left side'

Remember that Y MUST be a positive integer, so there's only one option left. Y MUST be 1. We can 'lock' that value in place.

Y = 1

Now we have...
|X-2| < 1

Again, we're restricted to positive integers only for X - and there's only one possible value for X that will fit this inequality: it's when X = 2. This would give us...

|2-2| < 1
0 < 1

Since X = 2, the answer to the question is YES... and since there's only one possible answer, the answer is really ALWAYS YES.
Fact 1 is SUFFICIENT.

Notice how no special calculations were needed here; just a bit of Arithmetic and TESTing VALUES to determine what options are possible. Fact 2 will require a little more work, but the type of work will be the same.

2) X+Y−3 = |1−Y|

Here, the 'right side' of the equation can never be any smaller than 0, but the 'left side' includes a "-3", so we have to be sure that the result of that part of the calculation never drops below 0. Let's try TESTing some values and see what happens...Remember that both X and Y must be POSITIVE INTEGERS.

IF.... Y = 1
X+1-3 = |1-1|
X - 2 = 0
X = 2... Here, the answer to the question is YES.

IF.... Y = 2
X+2-3 = |2-1|
X - 1 = 1
X = 2... Here, the answer to the question is YES.

IF.... Y = 3
X+3-3 = |3-1|
X = 2
X = 2... Here, the answer to the question is YES.

Notice the pattern? If you're not sure yet, then feel free to try a few more TESTs (since you're just doing basic Arithmetic, that additional work shouldn't take too long. The answer to the question is ALWAYS YES.
Fact 2 is SUFFICIENT

Final Answer:
Show Spoiler
D

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
avatar
sarthakaggarwal
avatar
Joined: 30 Aug 2021
Last visit: 22 Jul 2025
Posts: 81
Own Kudos:
116
Given Kudos: 15
Location: India
GPA: 3.44
Posts: 81
Kudos: 116
Absolute values 10 Sep 2021, 20:43
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
EMPOWERgmatRichC
Hi sarthakaggarwal,

Many DS questions can be solved by TESTing VALUES - and this prompt gives us a great opportunity to do so. As with any question, you have to pay attention to the 'restrictions' that the prompt places on us, including the fact that the result of an Absolute Value calculation will NEVER be a negative number (that result will either be a positive number or a 0).

If X and Y are POSITIVE INTEGERS, is X a PRIME number?

1) |X−2| < 2−Y

2) X+Y−3 = |1−Y|

Here, we're restricted to positive integers ONLY and we're asked if X is a PRIME number. This is a YES/NO question.

1) |X−2| < 2−Y

Notice that the 'left side' of this inequality includes an Absolute Value, so that part of the calculation cannot be any smaller than 0. This is interesting, since the 'right side' must be GREATER than the 'left side', but we are SUBTRACTING a positive number from 2. This severely limits the value of Y.

Y CANNOT be 3.... since 2-3 = -1... and that won't be greater than the 'left side'
Y CANNOT be 2.... since 2-2 = 0... and that won't be greater than the 'left side'

Remember that Y MUST be a positive integer, so there's only one option left. Y MUST be 1. We can 'lock' that value in place.

Y = 1

Now we have...
|X-2| < 1

Again, we're restricted to positive integers only for X - and there's only one possible value for X that will fit this inequality: it's when X = 2. This would give us...

|2-2| < 1
0 < 1

Since X = 2, the answer to the question is YES... and since there's only one possible answer, the answer is really ALWAYS YES.
Fact 1 is SUFFICIENT.

Notice how no special calculations were needed here; just a bit of Arithmetic and TESTing VALUES to determine what options are possible. Fact 2 will require a little more work, but the type of work will be the same.

2) X+Y−3 = |1−Y|

Here, the 'right side' of the equation can never be any smaller than 0, but the 'left side' includes a "-3", so we have to be sure that the result of that part of the calculation never drops below 0. Let's try TESTing some values and see what happens...Remember that both X and Y must be POSITIVE INTEGERS.

IF.... Y = 1
X+1-3 = |1-1|
X - 2 = 0
X = 2... Here, the answer to the question is YES.

IF.... Y = 2
X+2-3 = |2-1|
X - 1 = 1
X = 2... Here, the answer to the question is YES.

IF.... Y = 3
X+3-3 = |3-1|
X = 2
X = 2... Here, the answer to the question is YES.

Notice the pattern? If you're not sure yet, then feel free to try a few more TESTs (since you're just doing basic Arithmetic, that additional work shouldn't take too long. The answer to the question is ALWAYS YES.
Fact 2 is SUFFICIENT

Final Answer:
Show Spoiler
D

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Show more
Thank you!
I was solving it using traditional approach and end up wasting a lot of time
Next time onwards I will try to use tricks like these.
User avatar
kaladin123
User avatar
Current Student
Joined: 06 Jul 2019
Last visit: 10 Jul 2022
Posts: 135
Own Kudos:
68
 [2]
Given Kudos: 747
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
Schools: IIMA PGPX'23 (II)
GMAT 1: 640 Q39 V39
GMAT 2: 700 Q48 V38 (Online)
GPA: 3.11
WE:Project Management (Computer Software)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: IIMA PGPX'23 (II)
GMAT 2: 700 Q48 V38 (Online)
Posts: 135
Kudos: 68
 [2]
Absolute values 11 Sep 2021, 07:41
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
sarthakaggarwal
Hello everyone!
I am having some problems with absolute values question especially when they are clubbed with inequalities (in this special case i am having more prob in PS questions than DS ones)
Although i am pretty sure I know the all the rules of absolute but still having problem with questions when they appear on mocks
Any advice?
Show more

Hi Sarthak,

A couple of weeks ago, I was struggling with questions involving Inequalities and Absolute Values.

Let me share with you the resources I used to study this module.

If you are already familiar with the basic concepts then you can directly jump to Aditya's Webinars on this topic. Both of them are a must watch!
Afterwards, check out Avi's Webinars. He advocates a reasoning based approach that is less quant-heavy.
Finally, do practice all the questions from Bunuel's practice sets. Add all the questions you get wrong to your error log for future review.
It goes without saying that the more you practice, the more comfortable you will be solving these questions.

Introduction & Concept Building
1. The Tested Tutor | Absolute Values | Inequalities
2. Target Test Prep Webinar on Absolute Values

Advanced Concepts
1. Aditya Kumar's Webinars (CrackVerbal) | Inequalities | Absolute Values
2. Avi Gutman's Webinars (Quant Reasoning) | Video 1 | Video 2

Practice Problems
1. Absolute Value - GMAT Patterns
2. Inequality & Absolute Value - Bunuel's Collection

All the best with your prep!

Archived Topic
Hi there,
This topic has been closed and archived due to inactivity or violation of community quality standards. No more replies are possible here.
Where to now? Join ongoing discussions on thousands of quality questions in our Quantitative Questions Forum
Still interested in this question? Check out the "Best Topics" block above for a better discussion on this exact question, as well as several more related questions.
Thank you for understanding, and happy exploring!