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1350 - Data Sufficiency

Data Sufficiency MCQ No. : 50030

In the xy-plane, if line k has negative slope and passes through the point (-5,r), is the x-intercept of line k positive?

(1) The slope of line k is-5.

(2) r > 0

Correct Answer: E

Explanation:

Geometry Coordinate geometry

The *-intercept is the *-coordinate of the point in which the line k crosses the *-axis and would have the coordinates (*,0).

  • (1) Knowing the slope of the line does not help in determining the *-intercept, since from point (-5,r) the line k extends in both directions. Without knowing the value of r, the *-intercept could be -5 if r were 0, or it could be other numbers, both positive and negative, depending on the value of r; NOT sufficient.
  • (2) Knowing that r > 0 suggests that the *-intercept is not-5; the point (-5,r), where r is a positive number, does lie in quadrant II. It could, however, be any point with an *-coordinate of-5 in that quadrant and line k could have any negative slope, and so the line k would vary with the value of r. Therefore, the *-intercept of line k cannot be determined; NOT sufficient.

Using (1) and (2) together does not help in the determination of the *-intercept, since the point (-5,r) could have any positive jy-coordinate and thus line k could cross the *-axis at many different places.

The correct answer is E; both statements together are still not sufficient.

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