BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
Vote for Target Test Prep, Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026
NEWSWEEK READERS’ CHOICE 2026

BIG NEWS! Target Test Prep has been nominated, and they’d love your vote!

TTP has worked incredibly hard to build the best test prep experience possible, and winning Newsweek’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Test Prep would mean a lot to them. If TTP has helped you, they’d be incredibly grateful for your vote. You can vote once each day through September 9.

Vote for TTP
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

Inequalities (Pos/Neg): Is |a| + |b| > |a + b| ?

Expert replies
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

by sxjain3 » Tue May 20, 2008 4:03 pm
Based on the information provided,
|a| + |b| can be greater than |a+b| if either of a or b is a negative value. If both are either positive or negative, the two sides of the equation will be same and hence may still provide the answer to this DS question, if we cna ascertain the signs of a and b

Now,
1) a^2 > b^2 can be true for many scenarios, such as,
i) a and b are both positive and a > b
ii) Either a or b is negative and absolute value of a is greater than that of b
iii) Both a and b are negative and absolute value of a is greater than that of b

So the information provided is insufficient to answer the question

2) |a| * b < 0. One thing is tells is that b is -ve. The condition can be true for the following scnearios,
i) if a is -ve
ii) if a is +ve

But as mentioned above the question can be answered only if we know for sure that either one of the values is -ve (and o ther positive) or both are +ve or -ve.

In both statements, we get multiple possible values and hence cannot answer the question, so "E"
Join the discussion

by VP_Tatiana » Tue May 20, 2008 4:19 pm
From statement (1), a^2 > b^2, we can gather that abs(a) > abs(b). However, this is not enough information to tell us if both are positive, both are negative, or one is positive and one is negative. In the case where both a and b share the same sign, abs(a) + abs (b) will equal abs(a + b). Take a minute to convince yourself of this. If they have opposite signs, though, then abs(a) + abs (b) will be bigger than abs (a + b). Again, take a minute to convince yourself of this. Basically, some canceling out happens in the a + b part if the signs are different, and you are left with a number that is smaller than the absolute value of either one.

Since we don't know the signs of a and b, statement 1 is not sufficient.

Moving on to statement (2), abs(a) x b > 0 tells us that b <0> abs(b) and b < 0. This STILL doesn't tell us the sign of a. We could have the situation where a < b< 0, or the situation where b < 0 <a> abs(b).

Assigning real numbers, what I am staying is we could have a = -4 and b = -3, or we could have b = -3 and a = 4. In the first case, abs(a) + abs (b) will equal abs(a + b). In the second case, abs(a) + abs (b) will be greater than abs(a + b).

Thus, the statements combined do not provide sufficient information and the answer is E.
Tatiana Becker | GMAT Instructor | Veritas Prep
Join the discussion

by m51v50 » Sun May 25, 2008 5:33 am
Is |a| + |b| > |a + b| ?

(1) a^2 > b^2

(2) |a| × b < 0

Stem1:
Not suff as we can't say which one is -ve or +ve.

Stem2:
ab<0, meaning that b is negative. But a may be +ve or -ve. NOT SUFF.

1+2:
Still we are not sure whether a is +ve or -ve. NOT SUFF.

Answer is E.
Have 790 or die
Join the discussion