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DS question

Expert replies
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

by limestone » Mon Oct 11, 2010 8:51 pm
Hi,

1. x/y = 3 means x = 3y, you may see that x can not be equal to y while x = 3y. However, watch out!
If both x and y are Zero, then x = y = 3y
Insuf.

2. Same as 1. As x = 3y means x/y = 3

Insuf.

1&2. As 2 is the same to 1, 2 does not provide any additional information. Then 1 & 2 : insuf.

My answer E. Both 1 & 2 together are insuf.
"There is nothing either good or bad - but thinking makes it so" - Shakespeare.
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by sumit.sinha » Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:45 am
limestone wrote:Hi,

1. x/y = 3 means x = 3y, you may see that x can not be equal to y while x = 3y. However, watch out!
If both x and y are Zero, then x = y = 3y
Insuf.

2. Same as 1. As x = 3y means x/y = 3

Insuf.

1&2. As 2 is the same to 1, 2 does not provide any additional information. Then 1 & 2 : insuf.

My answer E. Both 1 & 2 together are insuf.
Brilliant
Pick E
Cheers,
Sumit
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by pradeepkaushal9518 » Tue Oct 12, 2010 4:07 am
i dont think its a good question
A SMALL TOWN GUY
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by selango » Tue Oct 12, 2010 5:24 am
Yes this is not a good question.

Frank always use authentic materials.
--Anand--
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by kvcpk » Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:39 am
frank1 wrote:Is x = y ?
(1) x/y = 3
(2) x = 3y

Source:Nova Data Prep

OA later
IMO A.

(1) x/y = 3
x = 3y.
x=y only when x=y=0. But y cannot be 0. because it is in denominator.
Hence x can never equal y.
SUFF

(2) x = 3y
x =y=0 will suffice in this case. we dont have y in denominator.
x=3,y=1 will aslo satisfy.
hence INSUFF

pick A.

Hope this helps!!
"Once you start working on something,
don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it.
People who work sincerely are the happiest."
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by limestone » Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:10 am
Excellent answer! I forgot that y is the denominator in 1.
"There is nothing either good or bad - but thinking makes it so" - Shakespeare.
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by frank1 » Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:35 pm
selango wrote:Yes this is not a good question.

Frank always use authentic materials.
Thanks for your suggestion
I normally donot use Nova's materials but
I think Nova is not bad publication when it comes to GMAT.
At least in this case.I consider this because this question is from DS book(The whole book is on DS....which i have not found with other publications..) and most questions seems like they are as per gmat standards.

This question is bit tricky.....even i dont agree with OA....thats why i have posted it here for comments....
I agree it is not good question......but i think it is not that bad either(out of gmat scope)

OA is A...
x/y equals 3 indicates the following two points:
1) x is not equal to 0, because then x/y would
equal 0, not 3
and
2) y is not equal to 0, because then x/y would
be an undefined infinite value and not 0.
Hence, x - y ≠ 0 or x ≠ y. The statement is
sufficient.
Now my question is CANNOT BE that statement 2 converted to Statement 1 using cross multipication ....that is where i am confused...
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by Viktri » Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:56 pm
I and II are the same statement (cross multiplication as you mentioned) so the answer can only be D or E; the OA is incorrect.

frank1 wrote:
selango wrote:Yes this is not a good question.

Frank always use authentic materials.
Thanks for your suggestion
I normally donot use Nova's materials but
I think Nova is not bad publication when it comes to GMAT.
At least in this case.I consider this because this question is from DS book(The whole book is on DS....which i have not found with other publications..) and most questions seems like they are as per gmat standards.

This question is bit tricky.....even i dont agree with OA....thats why i have posted it here for comments....
I agree it is not good question......but i think it is not that bad either(out of gmat scope)

OA is A...
x/y equals 3 indicates the following two points:
1) x is not equal to 0, because then x/y would
equal 0, not 3
and
2) y is not equal to 0, because then x/y would
be an undefined infinite value and not 0.
Hence, x - y ≠ 0 or x ≠ y. The statement is
sufficient.
Now my question is CANNOT BE that statement 2 converted to Statement 1 using cross multipication ....that is where i am confused...
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by goyalsau » Wed Oct 13, 2010 9:08 pm
Viktri wrote:I and II are the same statement (cross multiplication as you mentioned) so the answer can only be D or E; the OA is incorrect.
Answer should be D.
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by frank1 » Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:09 pm
I also agree with you.
Here is the official explanation from Nova DS prepation Book
Is x = y ?
(1) x/y = 3
(2) x = 3y
Statement (1): x/y = 3
x/y equals 3 indicates the following two points:
1) x is not equal to 0, because then x/y would
equal 0, not 3
and
2) y is not equal to 0, because then x/y would
be an undefined infinite value and not 0.
So, cross-multiplying the equation (valid because
we know the denominator y ≠ 0) yields x = 3y.
Subtracting y from both sides yields x - y = 2y.
Since y is not equal to 0, 2y is not equal to zero.
Hence, x - y ≠ 0 or x ≠ y. The statement is
sufficient.


Statement (2): x = 3y
If x = y = 0, x = 3y and still x = y is true.
But if x ≠ 0, since x = 3y, x would not equal y just
as in Statement (1).
We have a double case, and therefore the statement
is not sufficient.



The answer is (A).
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