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MGMAT Cat 1 - Any other strategy

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Source: — Data Sufficiency |
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by jayavignesh » Sat Oct 15, 2011 3:39 am
adi_800 wrote:If p < q and p < r, is pqr < p?

(1) pq < 0

(2) pr < 0

OA is E
Took 3: 19 minutes.. Any strategy other than picking numbers ??
It just take a min.

From both the statements we come to know that all three numbers are not negative
if p < q and p < r

then the statement is valid only if q and r are negative

So pqr is positive and answer cannot be determined
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by adi_800 » Sat Oct 15, 2011 3:59 am
jayavignesh wrote:
adi_800 wrote:If p < q and p < r, is pqr < p?

(1) pq < 0

(2) pr < 0

OA is E
Took 3: 19 minutes.. Any strategy other than picking numbers ??
It just take a min.

From both the statements we come to know that all three numbers are not negative
if p < q and p < r

then the statement is valid only if q and r are negative

So pqr is positive and answer cannot be determined
There seem to be a typo in your post in this line 'if q and r are negative'
When you come down to a stage where you know that q and r are positive and p is negative... You are certain that pqr is negative and p is also negative but pqr is more negative than p, since it is being multiplied by two positive numbers, you are almost certain that answer is C...
But we are not given that p/q/r are integers... We need to test non integers too and thats when we come to know that both statements are not sufficient...
I guess you have solved this problem incorrectly even though you have got the correct answer...

Can you please look into this one again ??
Waiting for shorter method..
Thanks..
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by GMATGuruNY » Sat Oct 15, 2011 4:02 am
adi_800 wrote:If p < q and p < r, is pqr < p?

(1) pq < 0

(2) pr < 0

OA is E
Took 3: 19 minutes.. Any strategy other than picking numbers ??
Try to plug in EASY VALUES that satisfy BOTH statements and will yield DIFFERENT answers to the question stem.

The following combinations satisfy both statements:
p = -1, q=1, r=1.
p = -1, q=2, r=2.

If p=-1, q=1, and r=1:
pqr = (-1)*1*1 = -1.
pqr = p.

If p=-1, q=2, and r=2:
pqr = (-1)(2)(2) = -4.
pqr < p.

Thus, the two statements combined are INSUFFICIENT.

The correct answer is E.
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by prodizy » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:13 am
From stimulus and statement 1 we know that P is negative and Q is positive
From stimulus and statement 2 we know that P is negative and R is positive

Now plugging in the values is much easier.
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by garima99 » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:27 am
adi_800 wrote:If p < q and p < r, is pqr < p?

(1) pq < 0

(2) pr < 0

OA is E
Took 3: 19 minutes.. Any strategy other than picking numbers ??
1)pq<0 means they are opp signs...as p<q it means p must be neg.
2)pr <0................same as above....p is neg...

so combining 2...qr>0...and pqr<0....but p <0 so we cant really say if it holds good.

IMO E
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