GMAT Questionbank | GMAT Inequalities Q7

A GMAT DS practice question in Inequalities. Tests your understanding of absolute values and inequalities. A GMAT 650 level data sufficiency sample question in absolute values (modulus of an expression) and inequalities.

GMAT Data Sufficiency | Directions | Click Here ▼

This data sufficiency problem consists of a question and two statements, labeled (1) and (2), in which certain data are given. You have to decide whether the data given in the statements are sufficient for answering the question. Using the data given in the statements, plus your knowledge of mathematics and everyday facts (such as the number of days in a leap year or the meaning of the word counterclockwise), you must indicate whether -

1. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
2. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question asked.
3. BOTH statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question asked, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.
4. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question asked.
5. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question asked, and additional data specific to the problem are needed.

Numbers

All numbers used are real numbers.

Figures

A figure accompanying a data sufficiency question will conform to the information given in the question but will not necessarily conform to the additional information given in statements (1) and (2)

Lines shown as straight can be assumed to be straight and lines that appear jagged can also be assumed to be straight

You may assume that the positions of points, angles, regions, etc. exist in the order shown and that angle measures are greater than zero.

All figures lie in a plane unless otherwise indicated.

Note

In data sufficiency problems that ask for the value of a quantity, the data given in the statement are sufficient only when it is possible to determine exactly one numerical value for the quantity.

Question 7: Is |a| > a?

Statement 1: a² < a
Statement 2: \(\frac{a}{2})) > \(\frac{2}{a}))

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Video Explanation

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Explanatory Answer | GMAT Inequalities DS

Step 1: Decode the Question Stem

Q1. What kind of an answer will the question fetch?
The question is an "IS" question. For "is" questions, the answer is "YES" or "NO".

Q2. When is the data sufficient?
The data is sufficient if we are able to get a CONCLUSIVE YES or a CONCLUSIVE NO from the information in the statements.
If using the information in the statement(s), we arrive at an answer that is sometimes yes and sometimes no, the data is not sufficient.

Q3. How can we re-write this question?
The magnitude of 'a' will be greater than 'a' only if 'a' is a negative number. For positive numbers and for zero, the magnitude of 'a' will be equal to 'a'.
So, what we have to determine using the two statements is whether 'a' is negative.

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Step 2: Evaluate Statement 1 ALONE

Statement 1: a² < a

This inequality holds good only when 0 < a < 1.
i.e., we can conclude that a is positive.
Hence, we can answer the question, "whether 'a' is negative" with a definite NO.
Statement 1 ALONE is sufficient.
Eliminate choices B, C, and E. Choices narrow down to A or D.

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Step 3: Evaluate Statement 2 ALONE

Statement 2: \(\frac{a}{2})) > \(\frac{2}{a}))

'a' is an unknown and can therefore, take both positive and negative values.
We have to evaluate two possibilities from the information given in statement (2).

Possibility 1: a > 0
If a > 0, then \(\frac{a}{2})) > \(\frac{2}{a})) => a² > 4
i.e., a² - 4 > 0 and a > 0
or (a + 2) (a - 2) > 0 and a > 0

Rule: If (x - a)(x - b) > 0, x will not lie between 'a' and 'b'.
So, 'a' will not lie between -2 and 2. i.e., {a > 2 or a < -2} and a > 0

In possibility 1, only positive values of 'a' are possible.
∴ the values of 'a' that will satisfy the inequality are a > 0 and a > 2
a > 0 and a > 2 implies that a > 2
Possibility 1 therefore, answers the question with a NO.

Possibility 2: a < 0
If a < 0, then \(\frac{a}{2})) > \(\frac{2}{a})) => a² < 4 (the sign of the inequality changes when multiplied with a negative number on both sides)
i.e., a² - 4 < 0 and a < 0
or (a + 2) (a - 2) < 0 and a < 0
Rule: If (x - a)(x - b) < 0, x will in between 'a' and 'b'.
or -2 < a < 2 and a < 0

In possibility 2, only negative values of 'a' are possible
∴ the range of values that 'a' can take narrows down to -2 < a < 0.
Possibility 2 therefore, points to the result that 'a' is negative and answers the question with Yes.
Statement (2) leaves us with both the possibilities: 'a' could be positive or 'a' could be negative.

We are not able to find a conclusive answer to the question using statement 2.
Statement 2 alone is NOT sufficient.
Eliminate answer option D.

Choice A is the correct answer.