BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

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.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
GMATLiveTeach Starts Oct 17
Chris Peckover, Target Test Prep GMAT expert
LIVE ONLINE CLASSES

Get Ready for GMAT Test Day Faster with Live Online Classes

with Chris Peckover, 100th-Percentile GMAT Scorer

Oct 17 · Chris Peckover
Sat · 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM ET
Oct 20 · Chris Peckover
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Oct 25 · Josh Braslow
Sun · 1:00 to 4:00 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
EALiveTeachOnDemand 5 seats left Start anytime
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Target Test Prep EA OnDemand

Self-paced EA prep. Study on your schedule.

Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

165+ EA score guarantee
$05-day trial no automatic billing
Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
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
GMATOnDemand Start 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

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

If x < 12

Expert replies
by fighting_cax » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:06 am
If x < 12, then it must be true that

(a) -x < -12
(b) -x - 2 < 14
(c) -x + 2 < -10
(d) x + 2 < 10
(e) x - 2 < 11

OA is E but can't understand why.

Please explain.
Join the discussion
Source: — Problem Solving |

by DanaJ » Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:04 am
Let's take each inequality at a time:
A. -x < -12 - multiply by (-1) on each side to eliminate the minuses and you get:
x > 12 - "<" gets reversed when you multiply by a negative number. So the initial inequality is equivalent to x > 12, which is not consistent with x < 12.

B. -x - 2 < 14 - add 2 on each side to get;
-x < 16 - multiply by (-1)
x > - 16. While it is true that for some numbers that are smaller than 12 this is correct, it isn't for everything. Just consider x = 20:
20 > -16, but 20 is not greater than 12.

C. -x + 2 < -10 - subtract 2 from each side
-x < - 12 - takes us back to A

D. x + 2 < 10 means that x < 8. Again, take x = 10. While it is true that x < 12, 10 is not smaller than 8.

E is our answer: x - 2 < 11 means that x < 13. Now, this is consistent with x < 12, since any number smaller than 12 will also be smaller than 13.
Join the discussion

by fighting_cax » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:37 pm
But if x< 13, x can be equal to 12. And if x = 12, x cannot be less than 12.

For answer D, however, where it can be derived that x < 8, x can be any number less than 8 (i.e. 7, 6, 5, etc). And if this is the case, then this statement MUST be true?
Join the discussion

by kamu » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:55 pm
Read the question slowly and then DanaJ's answer. You'll get it.

D. x + 2 < 10 means that x < 8. Again, take x = 10.
While it is true that x < 12, 10 is not smaller than 8.

A number smaller than 12 will be smaller than 13.
Join the discussion

Re: If x < 12

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Sun Apr 03, 2022 6:54 am
fighting_cax wrote: ↑
Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:06 am
If x < 12, then it must be true that

(a) -x < -12
(b) -x - 2 < 14
(c) -x + 2 < -10
(d) x + 2 < 10
(e) x - 2 < 11

OA is E but can't understand why.

Please explain.
STRATEGY: Upon reading any GMAT Problem Solving question, we should always ask, Can I use the answer choices to my advantage?
In this case, we can easily test values that satisfy the given inequality.
From here, I'll give myself 15-20 seconds to identify a faster approach.....
We can also solve the question by analyzing each answer choice to see if it adheres to the given inequality algebraically, but since I'm less likely to make mistakes testing values, I'll go that route

Let's start by testing an "extreme" possible value of x.
For example, x = -20 is an obvious solution to the given inequality, x < 12

So, let's plug x = -20 into each answer choice to see if it's a solution.
(a) -(-20) < -12, which simplifies to 20 < -12. Doesn't work. Eliminate A.
(b) -(-20) - 2 < 14, which simplifies to 20 - 2 < 14. Doesn't work. Eliminate B.
(c) -(-20) + 2 < -10, which simplifies to 20 + 2 < -10. Doesn't work. Eliminate C.
(d) -20 + 2 < 10. Works. KEEP.
(e) -20 - 2 < 11. Works. KEEP.

We're already down to answer choices D, and E

Now let's test an " extreme" upper value that's close to 12
x = 11.5 is another solution to the given inequality, x < 12.
So we'll plug x = 11.5 into the remaining two answer choices....
(d) 11.5 + 2 < 10. Doesn't work. Eliminate D
(e) 11.5 - 2 < 11. Works. KEEP.

Answer: E
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
Image
Join the discussion