Data Sufficiency

VJesus12 wrote:Is \(x< y?\)

(1) \(z< y\)
(2) \(z< x\)

Target question: Is x < y?

Statement 1: z< y
No information about x
Statement 1 is NOT SUFFICIENT

Statement 2: z < x
No information about y
Statement 2 is NOT SUFFICIENT

Statements 1 and 2 combined
The combined statements tell us that x and y are both greater than z
There are infinitely many values of x, y and z that satisfy BOTH statements. Here are two:
Case a: x = 1, y = 2 and z = 0. In this case, 1 < 2, so the answer to the target question is YES, x IS less than y
Case b: x = 2, y = 1 and z = 0. In this case, 2 > 1, so the answer to the target question is NO, x is NOT less than y
Since we cannot answer the target question with certainty, the combined statements are NOT SUFFICIENT

Answer: E

Cheers,
Brent