x/y<0?

[grandh01]

If xy ≠ 0, is x/y<0 ?
(1) x = y
(2) -x = - ( - y )

OA is D

Can someone explain #2?

[theCEO]

If xy ≠ 0, is x/y<0 ?
(1) x = y
(2) -x = - ( - y )

OA is D

Can someone explain #2?

If we can say yes or no to the question, the statement is sufficient.

1) x = y
x/y = 1 which is not < 0 ----> sufficient

2) -x = - ( - y )
-x = y
x = y * -1
x/y = -1 which is < 0 ---- suffficient

ans = d

[Stuart@KaplanGMAT]

If xy ≠ 0, is x/y<0 ?
(1) x = y
(2) -x = - ( - y )

OA is D

Can someone explain #2?

Hi!

While this question illustrates some important concepts, it is 100% NOT a real GMAT question. What's the source?

As TheCEO notes, statement (1) proves that the answer is "no" and statement (2) proves that the answer is "yes". On the GMAT, the two statements will NEVER contradict one another.

In other words, if the answer is "D", the two statements will always provide the same answer to the question (be it asking for a yes/no or a value).

(As an aside, even when the answer isn't "D" the statements cannot be contradictory; for example, you could never have a question ask "what's the value of x?" and have statement (1) say x=8 and statement (2) say x=2or4.)