Instructors plz help...Inqeuality DS 32

This topic has expert replies
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:24 am

Re: Inqeuality DS 32

by ankur_swayam » Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:15 am
ern5231 wrote:32) Is (a^2) b + a (b^2) > 0 ?

(1) a <0

(2) a+b<0
The answer is E

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 226
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:34 am

by ern5231 » Sat Oct 03, 2009 8:50 am
How did you arrive at E? I feel the answer is B

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:54 am
Thanked: 2 times

by glorydefined » Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:01 am
I too think it is B

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 226
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:34 am

by ern5231 » Sat Oct 03, 2009 9:13 pm
Can anyone explain how is it B?

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 182
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2009 7:19 pm
Thanked: 18 times
GMAT Score:680

by sanjana » Sat Oct 03, 2009 10:23 pm
IMO : E

Question :
is (a^2)b + a(b^2) > 0
==>is ab(a+b) > 0

for this to be true we have 2 cases :

1)ab>0 and (a+b) >0
2)ab<0 and (a+b) <0

Statement 1
Tells us a<0 but gives no information on b,hence insufficient

statement 2
Tells us (a+b) < 0 ,
This tells us nothig about a and b individually so we cant say if ab >0 or ab < 0,hence insufficient
Pick numbers to verify :
a=-1,b=-5 ==> -1-5 <0
a=-7,b=2 ==> =7+2 <0

Together again,

We know a<0 and we know a+b <0 but we dont know the sign of b and hence both statements togetjer are also insufficient.

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 226
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:34 am

by ern5231 » Sun Oct 04, 2009 5:36 am
Is (a^2) b + a (b^2) > 0 ?

(1) a <0

(2) a+b<0

Can we follow this approach -

(a^2)b>-a(b^2)
Hence, Is a>-b?

(1) does not make it suff
(2) a<-b looks suff

Hence B. Am I going wrong anywhere?

Legendary Member
Posts: 727
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2008 9:32 pm
Thanked: 8 times
Followed by:1 members

by umaa » Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:57 am
ern5231 wrote:Is (a^2) b + a (b^2) > 0 ?

(1) a <0

(2) a+b<0

Can we follow this approach -

(a^2)b>-a(b^2)
Hence, Is a>-b?

(1) does not make it suff
(2) a<-b looks suff

Hence B. Am I going wrong anywhere?
IMO E.

We can write (a^2) b + a (b^2) > 0 as ab(a+b) > 0.

a+b<0. it means,

a b
- -
- +
+ -

There are three possibilities.

If one is negative and the other is positive, the answer might be negative.

But if both are negative, the answer will be positive.

Since we're getting 2 kind of answers B is not sufficient.

Even if you take both the statements, you will get 2 answers. So, both the statements together are not sufficient.
What we think, we become

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 226
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:34 am

by ern5231 » Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:11 pm
Thanks Sanjana and Umaa. Your explanations look good but can you point out the mistake with my approach?

Legendary Member
Posts: 882
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 2:57 pm
Thanked: 15 times
Followed by:1 members
GMAT Score:690

by crackgmat007 » Fri Oct 09, 2009 6:15 pm
ern5231 wrote:Thanks Sanjana and Umaa. Your explanations look good but can you point out the mistake with my approach?
In the rephrase. Since you dont know whether a or be is negative or positive, you need to consider different possibilities.

IMO Rephrase is ab(a+b)>0

1. We dont the the sign of b
2. Given (a+b)<0. We dont know the sign of ab

1&2

From stmt 1, we know a<0. But we still dont know sign of b. Hence E.