Live GMAT classes with Target Test Prep start Nov 21 and Nov 22. First class free.

See classes
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.

Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 winner: Target Test Prep, #1 Test Prep

Target Test Prep was voted #1 Best Test Prep in the 2026 Newsweek Readers’ Choice™ Awards.

★★★★★5.0563 reviews
GMATLiveTeachStarts Nov 22
Josh Braslow, Target Test Prep GMAT expert
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES

Get Ready for GMAT Test Day Faster with Live Online Classes

with Josh Braslow, 20+ years in test prep

Nov 22 · Josh Braslow
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes + 6 months of TTP OnDemand
  • Attend the first class for free
  • Every class is recorded, so you never fall behind
View classes & enroll
Limited seats availableTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeachOnDemandStart anytime
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Target Test Prep EA OnDemand

Self-paced EA prep. Study on your schedule.

EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

with

165+ EA score guarantee
$05-day trial no automatic billing
Schedule
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 Start free 5-day trial
Limited cohort · enrollment openTrial includes full course accessTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemandStart 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

silly inequality question :)

Expert replies
by dzelkas » Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:58 pm
Is t a non integer?

(1) |t-3|<1
(2) t(does not not = )3

I understand that it's not (2)

but I am confused on (1) only because this is the solution:

|t-3|<1
-1<t<-3 can someone explain this concept to me
2<t<4 and then this part, where i got lost as well.


shouldnt it be
|t-3|<1
t<4???

any help appreciated

thanks

danny
Join the discussion
Source: — Problem Solving |

by sanju09 » Fri Mar 23, 2012 3:43 am
dzelkas wrote:Is t a non integer?

(1) |t-3|<1
(2) t(does not not = )3

I understand that it's not (2)

but I am confused on (1) only because this is the solution:

|t-3|<1
-1<t<-3 can someone explain this concept to me
2<t<4 and then this part, where i got lost as well.


shouldnt it be
|t-3|<1
t<4???

any help appreciated

thanks

danny

Let me rewrite it to make things clearer…

Is t a non integer?
(1) |t – 3| < 1.
(2) t ≠ 3.

I. If t is an integer, then so is t – 3; and if |t – 3| < 1, then it’s possible only if the integer t is 3. Reason being that the absolute value of any integer is non-negative, that’s why by means of t being an integer in the company of |t – 3| < 1 would lead us to believe that |t – 3| = 0 or t = 3. All we can decide is either t is 3 or a non integer. Insufficient

II. If t is not 3, then t may or may not be an integer. Insufficient

Taking I and II together, we can [spoiler]definitely say that t is a non integer. Sufficient

Take C
[/spoiler]
The mind is everything. What you think you become. –Lord Buddha



Sanjeev K Saxena
Quantitative Instructor
The Princeton Review - Manya Abroad
Lucknow-226001

www.manyagroup.com
Join the discussion

by Whitney Garner » Fri Mar 23, 2012 7:02 am
dzelkas wrote:but I am confused on (1) only because this is the solution:

|t-3|<1
-1<t<-3 can someone explain this concept to me
2<t<4 and then this part, where i got lost as well.

shouldnt it be
|t-3|<1
t<4???
Hi Danny!

Let's first attack the problem of solving an inequality when there is an absolute value. This should help the confusion you mentioned:

If we need to solve the expression |t-3| < 1, we first need to "jailbreak" that (t-3) from the absolute value symbols. To do so, we need to consider that 1 of 2 things may be true.

(A) (t-3) might be positive; therefore the absolute value symbols aren't really doing anything.

(B) (t-3) is actually negative; therefore the absolute value symbols are working to change the sign of (t-3).

Okay, so let's take (A) since it's easier. If the absolute value symbols aren't doing anything, we can just remove them and solve:

(t-3) < 1
t < 4

Now, we need to address scenario (B). If t-3 is actually negative, then if we throw away the absolute value symbol, WE need to manually change the sign on (t-3). We can accomplish that by just multiplying it times a -1.

-1*(t-3) < 1
-t + 3 < 1
2 < t

So, if we put A and B together, we get the proper range of values for |t-3|<1 = 2 < t < 4 (test some values to check...if I plug in 2 and 4, I see that it equals 1, and if I pick stuff in between (2.5, 3, 3.5, etc) I see that it works!

Now, let's get back to the original problem:
Original Question wrote:Is t a non integer?
(1) |t - 3| < 1.
(2) t ≠ 3.
Statement (1) only tells us that 2<t<4, but doesn't guarantee we get an integer! NOT Sufficient

Statement (2) only tells us that t≠3; it could therefore be any other possible integer or non-integer in the world! NOT Sufficient

Statement (1+2) = now we know that t must be a value between (but not including) 2 and 4. Well, the only integer in that range is 3, but statement 2 says it cannot be 2...Therefore we know that it MUST be a NON-integer! Sufficient

Hope this clears that up a bit!
:)
Whit
Whitney Garner
GMAT/GRE/EA Instructor & Anxiety/Accommodations Coach
www.whitneygarner.com

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

Math is a lot like love - a simple idea that can easily get complicated :heart-eyes:
Join the discussion

by diebeatsthegmat » Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:42 am
Whitney Garner wrote:
dzelkas wrote:but I am confused on (1) only because this is the solution:

|t-3|<1
-1<t<-3 can someone explain this concept to me
2<t<4 and then this part, where i got lost as well.

shouldnt it be
|t-3|<1
t<4???
Hi Danny!

Let's first attack the problem of solving an inequality when there is an absolute value. This should help the confusion you mentioned:

If we need to solve the expression |t-3| < 1, we first need to "jailbreak" that (t-3) from the absolute value symbols. To do so, we need to consider that 1 of 2 things may be true.

(A) (t-3) might be positive; therefore the absolute value symbols aren't really doing anything.

(B) (t-3) is actually negative; therefore the absolute value symbols are working to change the sign of (t-3).

Okay, so let's take (A) since it's easier. If the absolute value symbols aren't doing anything, we can just remove them and solve:

(t-3) < 1
t < 4

Now, we need to address scenario (B). If t-3 is actually negative, then if we throw away the absolute value symbol, WE need to manually change the sign on (t-3). We can accomplish that by just multiplying it times a -1.

-1*(t-3) < 1
-t + 3 < 1
2 < t

So, if we put A and B together, we get the proper range of values for |t-3|<1 = 2 < t < 4 (test some values to check...if I plug in 2 and 4, I see that it equals 1, and if I pick stuff in between (2.5, 3, 3.5, etc) I see that it works!

Now, let's get back to the original problem:
Original Question wrote:Is t a non integer?
(1) |t - 3| < 1.
(2) t ≠ 3.
Statement (1) only tells us that 2<t<4, but doesn't guarantee we get an integer! NOT Sufficient

Statement (2) only tells us that t≠3; it could therefore be any other possible integer or non-integer in the world! NOT Sufficient

Statement (1+2) = now we know that t must be a value between (but not including) 2 and 4. Well, the only integer in that range is 3, but statement 2 says it cannot be 2...Therefore we know that it MUST be a NON-integer! Sufficient

Hope this clears that up a bit!
:)
Whit

coooolll the same as i did... its because you taught me about the inequallity before, i remember that i got mistake with this in another question and you corrected it... cool thank you
Join the discussion