uptowngirl92 wrote:If p and q are integers and neither p nor q is equal to 0, is p/q > q/p?
1. p^2 > q^2
2.p^3 > q^3

Allright. Simplifying the main equation,
p/q > q/p
= p^2 > q^2.

Is'nt this what the first stmt. is clearly stating?So I answered A and clearly it is wrong.Shed some light guys!

(sorry, I have modified my post)

1. p^2 > q^2
=> (p^2/q^2)>1 [since q^2 >0]
=> (p/q)^2>1
=> (p/q)>1 or (p/q)<-1

now if (p/q)>1, then p/q > q/p

but if p/q<-1 then p/q < q/p

hence not sufficient

2. p^3 > q^3

i) p/q>1 if q>0

so p/q>q/p

ii) but if p>0, q<0 and |p|=|q|

then p/q = q/p

hence not sufficient

Taking both the statements together,

p^3>q^3 & p^2>q^2

case1) if p>q & (p & q>0)

or p/q>q/p

case2) if p>|q| & (p>1 and q<-1 )

p/q<q/p

Hence E

I think we need to solve this question without simplifying the main statement.

For statement 1.

Take p= -3 and q= 2 p^2 > q^2 but the main statement is not satisfied.
Take p =3 and q= 2 p^2 > q^2 and the main statement is satisfied.
Hence A is not sufficient.


For statement 2
p^3 > q^3.

Take both p nad q as positive. p> q to satisfy the eqn
The main statement not becomens p/q > q/p

Take p positive and q negative

p = 2 , q= -1
In this case p/q < q/p

Hence B is insufficient

Taking both statements together

Take p =2 , q= 1 p^2 > q^2 and p^3 > q^3

We also get p/q > q/p

Take the example of p =2 and q= -1 used above.

We get p/q < q/p

Hence both statements are not sufficient

E

IMO E

Stmt 1 - isn't sufficient if you try p=-3 and q=2
Stmt 2 - if we try p=3 and q=-2 we see that isn't suff

I think answer is E

I agree with raghavsarathy that you should not simply the equations here.

Vinayak