Absolute values

This topic has expert replies
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:14 am
Thanked: 13 times

by mental » Thu Oct 09, 2008 9:51 am
imo b

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 67
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:29 pm
Location: new york
Thanked: 2 times

by Gmatss » Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:00 am
IMO B
lxl=lyl?
1) x-y=6
x=3 y=-3 yes condition satifies 1 and the answer is yes but
if x=9 y=3 No hence insuffient
2)x+y=0
x=-y
so Yes Suffienct

Legendary Member
Posts: 833
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:56 am
Thanked: 13 times

by vivek.kapoor83 » Thu Oct 09, 2008 11:59 am
I think it diff way and i just want to know whether my way is correct or not. I think for proving mod x = mod y
we need to prove, if we take out mode... x = y ( if both are > 0) and -x = -y ( if <0)
coz by def of mode , mod x = x if x >0
mod x = -x if x<0
So, do we need to prove both condition in the ques below..or not.

Going by my method.
1.x-y =6
....>>> Not Suff
2. x+y=0, x=-y
utting back...mod(-y) = mod(y ) ....

... y = y ( If Y >00
-y = y( if y<0 )...not true. ....so B Insuff


taking together

x-y=6
x+y=0

x =3,y =-3
Here again comes my ques.
Do we have to put values and consider mode by >0 and <0


Pls f any1 can explain

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2623
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:17 am
Location: Montreal
Thanked: 1090 times
Followed by:355 members
GMAT Score:780

by Ian Stewart » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:14 pm
vivek, I don't really follow your logic, but if:

|x| = |y|

then either x = y, or x = -y.

|x| is just the distance between 0 and x on the number line. If |x| = |y|, then x and y are both the same distance from zero. They're either both on the same side of zero, in which case they're equal, or they're on opposite sides of zero, in which case one is the negative of the other.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

ianstewartgmat.com

Legendary Member
Posts: 833
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:56 am
Thanked: 13 times

by vivek.kapoor83 » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:20 pm
but i just wanted to know..do we need to prove both the equations.

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 2623
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:17 am
Location: Montreal
Thanked: 1090 times
Followed by:355 members
GMAT Score:780

by Ian Stewart » Thu Oct 09, 2008 2:34 pm
vivek.kapoor83 wrote:but i just wanted to know..do we need to prove both the equations.
No, not quite. If |x| = |y|, there are four possibilities (you do not seem to be considering the last two below):

x, y both positive --> x = y
x, y both negative --> x = y
x positive, y negative --> x = -y
x negative, y positive --> x = -y

Which is why I said above that |x| = |y| is true if x = y or x = -y. Note that -x = -y is exactly the same equation as x=y (just multiply both sides by -1), so there is no need to consider it separately.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

ianstewartgmat.com