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
GMATBootcamp Starts Sep 28
Chris Peckover, Target Test Prep GMAT expert
LIVE ONLINE BOOTCAMP

Live Online Bootcamp Class with Top GMAT Expert Chris Peckover

15 live classes from Sep 28, 2026

Schedule
Mon to Fri · 7:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
Live classes + 6 months of TTP OnDemand
  • Boost your GMAT score in less than one month in a live online class
  • 6 months access to TTP OnDemand video courses included
View bootcamp & 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
Start free 5-day trial
Read 559 reviewsTarget Test Prep

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

Is median of set S negative?

Expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Legendary Member
Posts: 621
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:13 pmFollowed by: 4 members
Thanked: 33 times
by vittalgmat » Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:00 am
Set S consists of even number of integers. Is the median of set S negative?

1. Exactly half of all elements of set S are positive
2. The biggest negative element of set S is -1

[spoiler]OA: C
However I chose B.
Wow!!!. as I am typing I realize my mistake. Stmt said that "biggest negative element" is -1 NOT "biggest element".
Damn!!!. I fell in the trap. Cant click the "back" button :(.
[/spoiler]
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Data Sufficiency |
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:06 pm
Thanked: 2 times

by rajataga » Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:58 am
I still don't get the problem....

IMO it should be E....

Just for clarification, when there an even number of elements, the median is the mean of the middle 2 elements right??
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 87
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:06 pm
Thanked: 2 times

by rajataga » Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:12 am
actually now i understand,

if both the statements are taken together, the median will always be non-negative.

Hence, C
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:14 am

by coffee5251 » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:34 am
rajataga wrote: if both the statements are taken together, the median will always be non-negative.
can you explain this?

Also, how would statement 2 be rephrased? I took it to mean "-1 is the smallest number in the set"... since -1 is the biggest negative number so the value of any bigger negative number would be less than -1. Is that wrong?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:14 am

by coffee5251 » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:35 am
rajataga wrote: if both the statements are taken together, the median will always be non-negative.
can you explain this?

Also, how would statement 2 be rephrased? I took it to mean "-1 is the smallest number in the set"... since -1 is the biggest negative number so the value of any bigger negative number would be less than -1. Is that wrong?
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 259
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:30 pm
Thanked: 16 times

by amitabhprasad » Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:15 am
I am still confused
lest say set consist of 2 umbers and taking both statement 1 and 2

S = {-1,1}
in this case median = (-1+1)/2 = 0

case 2:
S={-1,-2,4,5}
median = (-2+4)/2 = 1

am I missing any thing ??
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 2467
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 6:14 pmFollowed by: 11 members
Thanked: 331 times

by cramya » Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:44 am
S = {-1,1}
in this case median = (-1+1)/2 = 0

case 2:
S={-1,-2,4,5}
median = (-2+4)/2 = 1
Amit,

Good question.

In both cases its not negative. 0 is non positive and non negative.

We can surely answer the question "Is the median of set S negative" with a NO.

If the question was Is the median of the set positive then the answer would have been E IMO since 0 is non positive ; anything else would be positive. The difference in wording is subtle but there in lies the beauty of these testmakers...

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Cramya
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 259
Joined: Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:30 pm
Thanked: 16 times

by amitabhprasad » Thu Jan 08, 2009 11:50 am
Thanks again buddy...
All the time I was thinking "0" is non negative. But not sure why I picked "E"
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Legendary Member
Posts: 527
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:14 am
Location: Atlanta
Thanked: 17 times

by pandeyvineet24 » Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:59 pm
What if the set is
S = {-2,-1,0,1}

Would not the median be -1 ?.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:47 pm
GMAT Score:720

by thirst » Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:04 pm
for both, 0 cannot be one of the numbers because case i) half of the numbers are positive integer. 0 is not positive nor negative...

therefore it must be {-2,-1,1,2} or some number larger than 1, in which case it is still a sufficient no.
Target scores: 50Q 45V
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1