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By Sandeep Gupta | GMAT 800/800, Harvard Final Admit

Quant Session: Inequalities + Mods (Absolute Values)

Inequalities Basics:

1. a < b
Examples:
• 2<3
• 0<3
• –3 < 3
• –3 < 0

2. a ≤ b
Examples:
• 2≤3
• 3≤3
• 0≤3
• –3 ≤ –3
• –3 ≤ 0

3. a > b
Examples:
• 3>2
• 3>0
• 3 > –3
• 0 > –3

4. a ≥ b
Examples:
• 3≥2
• 3≥3
• 3≥0
• –3 ≥ –3
• 0≥–3
5. So long as multiplication or division aren’t involved, we can cancel or shift quantities just as we
do in equations

• For example, x + y – 1 > x – y + 1 means either we can transfer all terms from the RHS to
the LHS and write x + y – 1 – x + y – 1 > 0 or 2y – 2 > 0 or 2y > 2 or y > 1 OR we can directly
cancel x from both sides and write y – 1 > –y + 1 or 2y > 2 or y >1.

6. If xy > 0, then x and y are of the same sign. Either both positive or both negative.

7. If x/y > 0, then x and y are of the same sign. Either both positive or both negative

• So, xy > 0 means x/y > 0

8. If xy < 0, then x and y are of the opposite sign. One positive and the other negative

9. If x/y < 0, then x and y are of the opposite sign. One positive and the other negative

• So, xy < 0 means x/y < 0

10. If a > b, then ax > bx, if x is positive … this means the sign of the inequality doesn’t change if we
multiply both sides by a positive quantity

• Similarly, if ax > bx, then a > b, if x is positive … this means the sign of the inequality
doesn’t change if we cancel a positive quantity from both sides

Note: the same rule applies for division: a > b, then a/x > b/x if x is positive and vice versa

11. If a > b, then ax < bx, if x is negative … this means the sign of the inequality changes if we multiply
both sides by a negative quantity

• Similarly, if ax > bx, then a < b, if x is negative … this means the sign of the inequality
changes if we cancel a negative quantity from both sides

12. If a/b > c/d, then we can’t just cross multiply to write ad > bc. Unless we know the sign of the
quantities, we can’t cross multiply.

• On the other hand, if all a, b, c, and d are positive, then we can surely cross multiply and
write ad > bc

13. The concept of number line is very useful in checking inequalities. The common values to check
are x = 0, 1, –1, >1 (preferred value = 2), between 0 and 1 (preferred values = 1/2 and 0.9),
between – 1 and 0 (preferred values = –1/2 and –0.9), and less than –1 (preferred value = –2).
So, in short, there are 9 points: –2, –1, –0.9, –1/2, 0, 1/2, 0.9, 1, 2.
14. If (x – a) (x – b) < 0, then x lies between a and b. OR a < x < b.

• Here a is less than b.

• (x – 3) (x – 5) < 0, then x lies between 3 and 5

• (x + 3) (x – 5) < 0 we can write this as [x – (–3)] (x – 5) < 0

So, x lies between –3 and 5

• (x + 5) (x + 3) < 0 we can write this as [x – (–5)] [x – (–3)] < 0

So, x lies between –5 and –3

15. If (x – a) (x – b) > 0, then x lies outside a and b. OR x < a, x > b

• Here a is less than b.

• (x – 3) (x – 5) > 0, then x doesn’t lie between 3 and 5. So either x is less than 3 or x is

greater than 5.

• (x + 3) (x – 5) > 0 We can write this as [x – (–3)] (x – 5) > 0

So, x doesn’t lie between –3 and 5. Either x is less than –3 or x is greater than 5.

• (x + 5) (x + 3) > 0 We can write this as [x – (–5)] [x – (–3)] > 0

So, x doesn’t lie between –5 and –3. Either x is less than –5 or x is greater than –3.

16. If x2 > x, then either x > 1 or x is negative (x < 0).

17. If x2 < x, then x lies between 0 and 1. (0 < x < 1).

18. If x2 = x, then x = 0 or x = 1.

19. If x3 > x, then either x > 1 or x is between –1 and 0 (either x > 1 or –1 < x < 0).

20. If x3 < x, then either x lies between 0 and 1 or x is less than –1.
(Either 0 < x < 1 or x < –1)

21. If x3 = x, then x = 0 or x = 1 or x = –1.

22.
• If 1/x > 0, then x > 0 Substitute x as –ve / 0 / +ve to verify.
• If 1/x < –x, then x must be negative Substitute x as –ve / 0 / +ve to verify.

23. If x2 > y2, then x > y and x < y both results are possible, and x and y can be of the same sign and
also of the opposite sign

• 52 > 32 and 5 > 3 (–5)2 > (–3)2 but –5 < –3 both same sign
• 52 > (–3)2 and 5 > –3 (–5)2 > (3)2 but –5 < 3 opposite signs
24. If x > y2, then x > y and x < y both results are possible

• 5 > 32 and 5 > 3 1/3 > (1/2)2 but 1/3 < ½

25. If x > y4, then x > y and x < y both results are possible

• 100 > 34 and 100 > 3 1/3 > (1/2)4 but 1/3 < ½

26. If x > y, it is necessarily true that x3 > y3 or etc. So, odd powers and roots don’t change sign.

27. Two inequalities with the same sign can be added just in the same way as two equations can be
added

So, if

a+b>c+d and
e+f>g+h

Then a + b + e + f > c + d + g + h

28. Two inequalities with different signs can be added after we change the sign of one of the
inequalities by multiplying it by a negative sign.

So, if

a+b>c+d and
e+f<g+h Check the less than sign

Then we can write

a+b>c+d and
–(e + f) > –(g + h)

Or

a+b>c+d and
–e – f > –g – h

So, a + b – e – f > c + d – g – h

29. If X is positive, then

(1) (a + X) / (b + X) > a/b if a < b
(2) (a + X) / (b + X) < a/b if a > b

30. On the GMAT, any square number is always greater than or equal to 0. So x2 ≥ 0. On the GMAT, a
square number can’t be negative.
 Absolute Values (Mods) – Concepts
1. |𝑥| is defined as the non–negative value of x and hence is never negative.

• So |x| ≥ 0, always (by definition) AND |x| < 0 is impossible (by definition)

2. |5| = 5, |–5| = 5

• |x| = x, if x is positive … If x = 5, then |5| = 5

• |x| = –x, if x is negative … If x is –5, then |–5| = –(–5) = 5. Here x is negative and –x is positive.

o So, when |x| = –x, x is a negative number and –x is a positive number

• |x| = –x (means x is negative)

o This still means that |x| is positive because in this case –x is a positive number

3. |𝑥| is defined as the distance of point x from 0 on the number line. The point x can be anywhere on
the line (positive or negative)

4. |𝑥 − 𝑎| is defined as the distance of point x from a on the number line. The point x and a can be
anywhere on the line (positive or negative).

5. We define √𝑥 2 = |𝑥| as both √𝑥 2 and |𝑥| can’t be negative.

• √𝑥 2 = |𝑥| … squaring both sides, we get 𝑥 2 = |𝑥| × |𝑥|

Q. If a2 < a, then is |a| > a? Yes / No? Ans. NO

If a2 < a, then 0 < a < 1, or a is positive. When a is positive, |a| = a

6. As square roots can’t be negative, then on the GMAT (by definition)

• √36 = 6 and not − 6

• BUT if 𝑥 2 = 36, we have √𝑥 2 = √36 OR |x| = 6, which gives x = 6 or –6.

Remember, we didn’t take √36 to be both 6 or –6. √36 is 6 only.

But because √𝑥 2 is |x|, we wrote |x| = 6, which gave us x = 6 or –6

This is the most misunderstood concept on the GMAT.

• So √𝑥 2 = 𝑥 or − 𝑥 both are possible.

• If x is positive, then √𝑥 2 = 𝑥

o Here x is positive and hence the square root is positive

 • If x is negative, then √𝑥 2 = −𝑥

o Here x is negative, so –x is POSITIVE and hence the square root is positive

• The confusion arises because we assume x is positive and –x is negative. BUT x doesn’t have
a sign of its own, unless given. Please don’t assume anything.

Let’s see one real–GMAT question to understand the concept further:

4
If z is negative, then √(4𝑧 − 5)4 + √(2𝑧 − 3)2 + √−𝑧|𝑧| = ?
A. 5z – 8
B. 7z – 8
C. –8
D. 8 – 7z
E. 4z – 8

Sol. We can write this as

|4z – 5| + |2z – 3| + |z|

|4z – 5| = 4z – 5 OR –(4z – 5) = 5 – 4z, whichever is positive

Because z is negative, 4z – 5 will be negative and 5 – 4z will be positive

|2z – 3| = 2z – 3 OR –(2z – 3) = 3 – 2z, whichever is positive

Because z is negative, 2z – 3 will be negative and 3 – 2z will be positive

|z| = z or –z, whichever is positive

Because z is negative, –z will be positive

So, the answer will be: 5 – 4z + 3 – 2z + (–z) which gives 8 – 7z. Ans. D

7. |𝑥| = 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑥 ≥ 0 (substitute x as – / 0 / + and verify)

8. |𝑥| = −𝑥 ⇒ 𝑥 < 0 (substitute x as – / 0 / + and verify)

9. |𝑥| > 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑥 < 0 (substitute x as – / 0 / + and verify)

10. −𝑥|𝑥| > 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑥 < 0 (substitute x as – / 0 / + and verify)

11. −𝑥|𝑥| > 0 ⇒ 𝑥 < 0 (substitute x as – / 0 / + and verify)

12. |𝑥 − 𝑎| > 0 ⇒ 𝑥 ≠ 𝑎 Imagine |x – 3| > 0 … this expression is true for all values of x except x = 3.
Try to substitute x = –10, –5, 0, 1, 2, 4, 10, 100 … all of these will satisfy |x – 3| > 0. So, |x – 3| > 0
means 𝑥 ≠ 3
𝑥
13. |𝑥|
= 1 if x is positive Substitute any positive value of x and verify

𝑥
14. |𝑥|
= −1 if x is negative. Substitute any negative value of x and verify

Q. If x = y / |y|, what is |x|? Sol. x = 1 or –1, so |x| = 1

15. |𝑎| = |𝑏| ⇒ 𝑎 = 𝑏 𝑂𝑅 𝑎 = −𝑏 When we remove the mods, we substitute ±

So, we will have ±a = ±b which gives +a = +b, –a = –b, +a = –b, and –a = +b. So we get a = b or a = –b

16. If |x| = a, then x = a or x = –a.

• If |x| < a, then x < a or x > –a so –a < x < a.

• If |x – a| < b, then –b < x – a < b

• If |x| > a, then x > a or x < –a.

• If |x – a| > b, then x – a > b or x – a < –b.

Q. If |7 – 3j| ≤ 8, what is the range for j?

–8 ≤ 7 – 3j ≤ 8

Subtract 7

–15 ≤ – 3j ≤ 1

Divide by 3

–5 ≤ –j ≤ 1/3

Multiply by a negative sign

–1/3 ≤ j ≤ 5 Ans.

Q. If |x|/|3| > 1, which of the following must be true?

A. x > 3
B. x < 3
C. x = 3
D. x ≠ 3
E. x < –3

Cross multiply: |x| > 3, which means either x > 3 or x < –3. In either case, x ≠ 3. Ans. D