GMAT Prep - Number properties

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Re: GMAT Prep - Number properties

by kajcha » Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:36 pm
tutonaranjo wrote:Is x equal to the median of the three positive integers x, y, z?

1) x < y+z
2) y = z

The answer is B
Question: Is this because if y = z.. then with two values being the same there is no median n a set of three?
Stmt 1 x < y+z NOT SUFF for case x =2, y = 3, z = 4 x is not median
for case x = 3, y = 2, z = 4 x is median

Stmt 2 -> y=z will make the set look like x y y or y y x... in either case x is not the median... so SUUF

Ans B

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Re: GMAT Prep - Number properties

by gabriel » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:34 am
kajcha wrote:
tutonaranjo wrote:Is x equal to the median of the three positive integers x, y, z?

1) x < y+z
2) y = z

The answer is B
Question: Is this because if y = z.. then with two values being the same there is no median n a set of three?
Stmt 1 x < y+z NOT SUFF for case x =2, y = 3, z = 4 x is not median
for case x = 3, y = 2, z = 4 x is median

Stmt 2 -> y=z will make the set look like x y y or y y x... in either case x is not the median... so SUUF

Ans B
hmmm ... i am really not convinced with the answer ... as u point out in your post statement 1 is clearly not enuf ..

... but look at statement 2 .. again as u rightly pointed out there could be 2 cases x y y or y y x .. but couldn't there also be a 3rd case in which x=y=z and then the set would be x x x .. in which case "x" is the median of the set of 3 integers ...bcoz u see there is nothing in the question stem or in the statement that says x is not equal to the other 2 numbers(y and z) ..

... what does everyone else think ...

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by agps » Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:51 am
Edit: gabriel already pointed out what I said, but i didn't see it until i posted.
I think E is the answer, unless a set of 3 equal numbers has no median, in that case, B should be the answer I'll review if there is anything that says that.

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Re: GMAT Prep - Number properties

by kajcha » Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:44 am
[quote="gabriel

hmmm ... i am really not convinced with the answer ... as u point out in your post statement 1 is clearly not enuf ..

... but look at statement 2 .. again as u rightly pointed out there could be 2 cases x y y or y y x .. but couldn't there also be a 3rd case in which x=y=z and then the set would be x x x .. in which case "x" is the median of the set of 3 integers ...bcoz u see there is nothing in the question stem or in the statement that says x is not equal to the other 2 numbers(y and z) ..

... what does everyone else think ...[/quote]

Good point gabriel.. I missed that.. In that case it should be E