Number Line

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Source: — Data Sufficiency |

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by Tushar14 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 12:40 am
Assume the sequence Z Y X on negative 'X' axis making X touching origin.
XYZ < 0 true as all on negative 'X' axis.

Also XY is less than 0.

But still as per above sequence it doesn't assure that Z lies between X and Y.So according to me last option both statements are not sufficient. Correct me experts.

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by Tushar14 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 12:44 am
This could explain better;

-2 -1
--------------0
Z Y X

XYZ < 0 and XY < 0.

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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:02 am
On the number line, the distance between x and y is greater than the distance between x and z. Does z lie between x and y on the number line?
a) xyz < 0
b) xy < 0
When no order is specified, consider different -- especially NON-ALPHABETIC -- orderings of the given points.

The following case satisfies all of the constraints in the problem:
y=-10..............................0..................z=9.....x=10
Here, z lies between x and y.

The following case satisfies all of the constraints in the problem:
y=-10..............................0..............................x=10....z=11
Here, z does NOT lie between x and y.

Thus, the two statements combined are INSUFFICIENT.

The correct answer is E.
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by Tushar14 » Thu Apr 03, 2014 5:42 am
Mitch, I hope my scenario was OK to reach the conclusion. Am I rite just add if I skipped ?