Number Properties

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zagcollins: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 167; Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:58 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 2 times

by zagcollins » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:12 am

If a and b are nonzero numbers on the number line, is 0 between a and b?
1)The distance between 0 and a is greater than the distance between 0 and b.
2)The sum of the distances between 0 and A and between 0 and b is greater than the distance between 0 and the sum of a+b

OA is B..this is a GPREP question...

Last edited by zagcollins on Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Data Sufficiency | Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:12 am

dandillion: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 9; Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:04 pm

by dandillion » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:50 am

I think the answer should be B.

If |a|+|b|>|a+b|, then either a or b has to be negative, while the other number positive.
Therefore, the second condition is sufficient.

The first is not sufficient because both numbers can be positive, or negative, or have different signs.

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ricky: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 118; Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:47 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 5 times

by ricky » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:59 am

IMO B.The question ask us to find out if a is (-) and b (+
), or vice versa.

Let a = -3, b= 2

(i)OA=|a| = 3 and OB =|b| =3

But if a= 2 and b = 1 then again OA>OB; So insufficient.

(ii) |a| +|b| > |a+b|; which is only possible if one of them is negative and other positive.

If a=-3, b=2 then |a|+|b| =3+2=5 > |a+b|(which is |-1|)
If a= 3, b=2 then |a|+|b|=3+2 =5 , but |a+b|= 1

So eithern a or b has to negative and other positive.

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