If x and y are positive integers, is x/y < (x+5)/(y+5)?

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BTGModeratorVI wrote:
Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:00 am
If x and y are positive integers, is x/y < (x+5)/(y+5)?

(1) y = 5
(2) x > y

Answer: B
Source: Magoosh
Target question: Is x/y < (x+5)/(y+5)?

This is a great candidate for REPHRASING the target question.
Aside: We have a free video with tips on rephrasing the target question (below)

If y is a positive integer, then we can be certain that y and (y+5) are both POSITIVE. This allows us to safely multiply both sides of our inequality by y and (y+5).

Take x/y < (x+5)/(y+5) and multiply both sides by y to get: Is x < (y)(x+5)/(y+5)?
Then take x < (y)(x+5)/(y+5) and multiply both sides by (y+5) to get: Is x(y+5) < (y)(x+5)?
Expand to get: Is xy + 5x < xy + 5y?
Subtract xy from both sides to get: Is 5x < 5y?
Divide both sides by 5 to get: Is x < y?

We now have a very simple, REPHRASED target question.....
REPHRASED target question: Is x < y?

Now onto the statements!

Statement 1: y = 5
Since we have no information about x, there's no way to tell whether or not x < y.
Since we cannot answer the REPHRASED target question with certainty, statement 1 is NOT SUFFICIENT

Statement 2: x > y
Perfect!
If x > y then we can answer our REPHRASED target question with certainty: NO, x is definitely not less than y.
So, statement 2 is SUFFICIENT

Answer = B
Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com
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