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PierTotti17
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Please help solve this inequality 30 Dec 2018, 03:09
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Hi All,

This may seem like a very stupid question, but I'll post anyways since I can't find an answer anywhere.

I have been taught to solve equations such as: x^2 = 1 as such:
x^2 = 1
x^2 - 1 = 0
(x-1)(x+1) = 0
x=1 or -1

This method works for all quadratics, and is probably the quickest way to solve them.

Why is it that when we suddenly take out the "=" and replace it with either an > or < this method falls apart?

e.g.
x^2 < 1
x^2 - 1 < 0
(x-1)(x+1) < 0

x - 1 < 0 ---> x < 1 (which is correct)
but
x + 1 < 0 ---> x < -1 (which is incorrect, should be x > -1)

solution should be: -1 < x < 1

I am aware of the wavy line method and graphical method to solve inequalities, but I'd really appreciate if someone could explain why the method outline above fails to work in these situations. I hypothesize that this method does not work because of having to consider that x could be positive or negative (much like the way absolute value equations are solved), but nonetheless, I await help from experts.

Thanks in advance.

P.S., this question actually came from a DS question:

Is |x| < 1?

1) x^2 < 1
2) |x| < 1/x

obviously, in this scenario, it is easy to see that x^2 = |x| and thus statement 1 is sufficient (and so is 2 btw). But after answering the question, I went back and played around with statement 1 and then came up with this problem.

edit: I think I may have posted this in the wrong place. If so, moderators could you please move to the appropriate section?

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Please help solve this inequality 30 Dec 2018, 04:08
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Hi PierTotti17,

I am not an expert but can I request you to go through Bunuel 's take on this chapter?
https://gmatclub.com/forum/math-absolut ... 86462.html

Also, this article https://gmatclub.com/forum/absolute-mod ... l#p1622372 by chetan2u might also interest you. (<---- critical method here might help you)
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Please help solve this inequality 30 Dec 2018, 05:02
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PierTotti17
Hi All,

This may seem like a very stupid question, but I'll post anyways since I can't find an answer anywhere.

I have been taught to solve equations such as: x^2 = 1 as such:
x^2 = 1
x^2 - 1 = 0
(x-1)(x+1) = 0
x=1 or -1

This method works for all quadratics, and is probably the quickest way to solve them.

Why is it that when we suddenly take out the "=" and replace it with either an > or < this method falls apart?

e.g.
x^2 < 1
x^2 - 1 < 0
(x-1)(x+1) < 0

x - 1 < 0 ---> x < 1 (which is correct)
but
x + 1 < 0 ---> x < -1 (which is incorrect, should be x > -1)

solution should be: -1 < x < 1

I am aware of the wavy line method and graphical method to solve inequalities, but I'd really appreciate if someone could explain why the method outline above fails to work in these situations. I hypothesize that this method does not work because of having to consider that x could be positive or negative (much like the way absolute value equations are solved), but nonetheless, I await help from experts.

Thanks in advance.

P.S., this question actually came from a DS question:

Is |x| < 1?

1) x^2 < 1
2) |x| < 1/x

obviously, in this scenario, it is easy to see that x^2 = |x| and thus statement 1 is sufficient (and so is 2 btw). But after answering the question, I went back and played around with statement 1 and then came up with this problem.

edit: I think I may have posted this in the wrong place. If so, moderators could you please move to the appropriate section?
Show more

Hi..

Why the below doesn't work..
x - 1 < 0 ---> x < 1 (which is correct)
but
x + 1 < 0 ---> x < -1 (which is incorrect, should be x > -1)

So you have (x-1)(X+1)<0... So the product of x-1 and X+1 is less than 0.
THIS will happen if one is positive and other negative..
1) say x-1>0, then X+1<0..
x-1>0 means X>1.. and X+1<0 means X<-1..
There is no overlap in the region...we had taken X >1, so it cannot be <-1.
Hence eliminate this option.

2) x-1<0 or X<1, then X+1>0..X>-1..
So combined -1<X<1..
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PierTotti17
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Please help solve this inequality 30 Dec 2018, 05:20
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chetan2u
PierTotti17
Hi All,

This may seem like a very stupid question, but I'll post anyways since I can't find an answer anywhere.

I have been taught to solve equations such as: x^2 = 1 as such:
x^2 = 1
x^2 - 1 = 0
(x-1)(x+1) = 0
x=1 or -1

This method works for all quadratics, and is probably the quickest way to solve them.

Why is it that when we suddenly take out the "=" and replace it with either an > or < this method falls apart?

e.g.
x^2 < 1
x^2 - 1 < 0
(x-1)(x+1) < 0

x - 1 < 0 ---> x < 1 (which is correct)
but
x + 1 < 0 ---> x < -1 (which is incorrect, should be x > -1)

solution should be: -1 < x < 1

I am aware of the wavy line method and graphical method to solve inequalities, but I'd really appreciate if someone could explain why the method outline above fails to work in these situations. I hypothesize that this method does not work because of having to consider that x could be positive or negative (much like the way absolute value equations are solved), but nonetheless, I await help from experts.

Thanks in advance.

P.S., this question actually came from a DS question:

Is |x| < 1?

1) x^2 < 1
2) |x| < 1/x

obviously, in this scenario, it is easy to see that x^2 = |x| and thus statement 1 is sufficient (and so is 2 btw). But after answering the question, I went back and played around with statement 1 and then came up with this problem.

edit: I think I may have posted this in the wrong place. If so, moderators could you please move to the appropriate section?

Hi..

Why the below doesn't work..
x - 1 < 0 ---> x < 1 (which is correct)
but
x + 1 < 0 ---> x < -1 (which is incorrect, should be x > -1)

So you have (x-1)(X+1)<0... So the product of x-1 and X+1 is less than 0.
THIS will happen if one is positive and other negative..
1) say x-1>0, then X+1<0..
x-1>0 means X>1.. and X+1<0 means X<-1..
There is no overlap in the region...we had taken X >1, so it cannot be <-1.
Hence eliminate this option.

2) x-1<0 or X<1, then X+1>0..X>-1..
So combined -1<X<1..
Show more

Thank you very much Chetan. I suspected that this was the case. It is frustrating that we cannot set each expression inside the brackets to < or > than 0 like we do with regular equations.
Had the question been:

x^2 > 1

would the approach still be valid?
i.e. the solutions to x^2 > 1 is the opposite, either x > 1 or x < -1.

x^2-1 > 0
(x-1)(x+1) > 0

hence both positive or both negative

say x-1 is negative and x+1 is also negative. Then:

x-1 < 0
x<1 (wrong)
and
x+1<0
x<-1 (right)

or both are positive

x-1>0
x>1 (right)
and
x+1>0
x>-1 (wrong)

now do we combine these sets to get the combined range?

Thanks again
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chetan2u
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Location: India
Concentration: Human Resources, General Management
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Products:
My Reviews
Expert
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GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Posts: 11,291
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Please help solve this inequality 30 Dec 2018, 05:58
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PierTotti17
chetan2u
PierTotti17
Hi All,

This may seem like a very stupid question, but I'll post anyways since I can't find an answer anywhere.

I have been taught to solve equations such as: x^2 = 1 as such:
x^2 = 1
x^2 - 1 = 0
(x-1)(x+1) = 0
x=1 or -1

This method works for all quadratics, and is probably the quickest way to solve them.

Why is it that when we suddenly take out the "=" and replace it with either an > or < this method falls apart?

e.g.
x^2 < 1
x^2 - 1 < 0
(x-1)(x+1) < 0

x - 1 < 0 ---> x < 1 (which is correct)
but
x + 1 < 0 ---> x < -1 (which is incorrect, should be x > -1)

solution should be: -1 < x < 1

I am aware of the wavy line method and graphical method to solve inequalities, but I'd really appreciate if someone could explain why the method outline above fails to work in these situations. I hypothesize that this method does not work because of having to consider that x could be positive or negative (much like the way absolute value equations are solved), but nonetheless, I await help from experts.

Thanks in advance.

P.S., this question actually came from a DS question:

Is |x| < 1?

1) x^2 < 1
2) |x| < 1/x

obviously, in this scenario, it is easy to see that x^2 = |x| and thus statement 1 is sufficient (and so is 2 btw). But after answering the question, I went back and played around with statement 1 and then came up with this problem.

edit: I think I may have posted this in the wrong place. If so, moderators could you please move to the appropriate section?

Hi..

Why the below doesn't work..
x - 1 < 0 ---> x < 1 (which is correct)
but
x + 1 < 0 ---> x < -1 (which is incorrect, should be x > -1)

So you have (x-1)(X+1)<0... So the product of x-1 and X+1 is less than 0.
THIS will happen if one is positive and other negative..
1) say x-1>0, then X+1<0..
x-1>0 means X>1.. and X+1<0 means X<-1..
There is no overlap in the region...we had taken X >1, so it cannot be <-1.
Hence eliminate this option.

2) x-1<0 or X<1, then X+1>0..X>-1..
So combined -1<X<1..

Thank you very much Chetan. I suspected that this was the case. It is frustrating that we cannot set each expression inside the brackets to < or > than 0 like we do with regular equations.
Had the question been:

x^2 > 1

would the approach still be valid?
i.e. the solutions to x^2 > 1 is the opposite, either x > 1 or x < -1.

x^2-1 > 0
(x-1)(x+1) > 0

hence both positive or both negative

say x-1 is negative and x+1 is also negative. Then:

x-1 < 0
x<1 (wrong)
and
x+1<0
x<-1 (right)

or both are positive

x-1>0
x>1 (right)
and
x+1>0
x>-1 (wrong)

now do we combine these sets to get the combined range?

Thanks again
Show more

Yes..
Others simply \(x^2<1... Means ....|X|<1....-1<X<1\)
And \(x^2>1...|X|>1...X<-1 .. and...X>1\)
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PierTotti17
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Please help solve this inequality 30 Dec 2018, 06:08
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Great, thank you for the insight and for the prompt replies Chetan!!

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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 Problem Solving (PS) 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!
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Bunuel
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113351 posts