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Is |x-6|>5

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Is |x-6|>5

by bhumika.k.shah » Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:48 am
Is |x-6|>5
1. x is an integer
2. x^2<1

Ans B

Obviously 1 is Insufficient

Statement II
I tried using values like 1/4 , 1/2 , 1/9
I did get the answer as YES to the main question but then i thought that these values that i have taken aren't integers.
Hence i marked my answer as C

Where did my thinking go wrong?

Please help!
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by rahul.s » Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:05 am
it's B IMO

Statement 1

x is an integer. it could be any integer. clearly insufficient.

statment 2

x^2 < 1

only a fraction, it +ve or -ve, suffices this statement. plug the fraction in the primary question and we get a definitive NO. so B it is.
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by rahul.s » Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:10 am
bhumika.k.shah wrote:
Statement II
I tried using values like 1/4 , 1/2 , 1/9
I did get the answer as YES to the main question but then i thought that these values that i have taken aren't integers.
Hence i marked my answer as C
you don't need to take an integer. only a non integer (fraction) suffices the second statement. you might have had a preconceived notion that the number has to be an integer looking at the first statement. but before you move on from the first statement to the second one, you must erase the first statement from your mind and treat the second one as the only statement available.
bhumika.k.shah wrote:Where did my thinking go wrong?
i guess it was the approach.
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by rahul.s » Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:11 am
let me know of any doubts that you might have. hope the explanation helped.
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by GhassanMBA » Sun Jan 24, 2010 5:25 am
I'm also getting B. Here is how I did it:

1) INSUFFICIENT: since x can be any integer, x = 2 makes our statement false, while x = 12 makes it true. Hence insufficient.

2) SUFFICIENT:
x^2 < 1 can mean one of two things: x is a fraction that's less than 1 ex. 1/2, 1/3, 1/4. Or x = 0. ZERO IS CONSIDERED AN EVEN INTEGER on the GMAT exam.
This statement is enough to answer the question since whether x is a fraction or x is ZERO the statement in the question stem is going to turn out to be true.

(The first statement and second statement in GMAT questions should always match. They do not give you statements that will contradict each other. Therefore, x is definitely equal to ZERO in this question, but we didn't need to go so far as to consider both statements anyways! because the second one is enough)

I'm hoping this helps clear things up.
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by tata » Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:15 pm
Guys, I have a confusion in this question, the two statements are contradictory here. One says x is an integer and other proves it is a fraction, how can a number be an integer and a fraction? I thought on GMAT the 2 statements will NOT contradict each other. Help me clearing this confusion please. Also, whatz the source of this problem?
rahul.s wrote:
bhumika.k.shah wrote:
Statement II
I tried using values like 1/4 , 1/2 , 1/9
I did get the answer as YES to the main question but then i thought that these values that i have taken aren't integers.
Hence i marked my answer as C
you don't need to take an integer. only a non integer (fraction) suffices the second statement. you might have had a preconceived notion that the number has to be an integer looking at the first statement. but before you move on from the first statement to the second one, you must erase the first statement from your mind and treat the second one as the only statement available.
bhumika.k.shah wrote:Where did my thinking go wrong?
i guess it was the approach.
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by Stuart@KaplanGMAT » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:06 pm
tata wrote:Guys, I have a confusion in this question, the two statements are contradictory here. One says x is an integer and other proves it is a fraction, how can a number be an integer and a fraction? I thought on GMAT the 2 statements will NOT contradict each other. Help me clearing this confusion please. Also, whatz the source of this problem?
You're both right and wrong!

You're 100% correct that the two statements will never contradict each other.

However, x=0 satisfies both statements, so there's no contradiction.

Remember: 0 is an even, uncharged (i.e. neither positive nor negative), integer.
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by rahul.s » Tue Jan 26, 2010 1:47 am
Stuart Kovinsky wrote:
tata wrote:Guys, I have a confusion in this question, the two statements are contradictory here. One says x is an integer and other proves it is a fraction, how can a number be an integer and a fraction? I thought on GMAT the 2 statements will NOT contradict each other. Help me clearing this confusion please. Also, whatz the source of this problem?
You're both right and wrong!

You're 100% correct that the two statements will never contradict each other.

However, x=0 satisfies both statements, so there's no contradiction.

Remember: 0 is an even, uncharged (i.e. neither positive nor negative), integer.
nice catch Stuart. I couldn't think of that. Thanks :)
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by tata » Tue Jan 26, 2010 8:37 am
Nicely put Stuart, thank you much..!!

Stuart Kovinsky wrote:
tata wrote:Guys, I have a confusion in this question, the two statements are contradictory here. One says x is an integer and other proves it is a fraction, how can a number be an integer and a fraction? I thought on GMAT the 2 statements will NOT contradict each other. Help me clearing this confusion please. Also, whatz the source of this problem?
You're both right and wrong!

You're 100% correct that the two statements will never contradict each other.

However, x=0 satisfies both statements, so there's no contradiction.

Remember: 0 is an even, uncharged (i.e. neither positive nor negative), integer.
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by tanviet » Tue Jan 26, 2010 8:54 pm
there are 2 ways to solve yes-no question

1, algebra change

2, plug numbers

because x^2<1,

-1<x<1

that mean /x-6/<5 is 6-x<5, that means: x>1. answer is NO,
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by money9111 » Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:46 pm
two things: thanks for reminding me of that 0 properties as I always forget!

I just want to make sure I have this correct... I got to the point where x is a fraction... so because x is a fraction.. if you subract 6 you'll get -5 with some decimals... and the absolute value of that is 5 with some decimals.. therefore sufficient.... now even the inequality sign was reversed... it would still be Sufficient enough to answer the question correct?
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