In a GMAT Data Sufficiency question framed as a 'Yes/No' question (such as 'Is x > 0?'), a… — GMAT

In a GMAT Data Sufficiency question framed as a 'Yes/No' question (such as 'Is $x > 0$ ?'), a statement that conclusively proves that the condition is always false (e.g., $x < 0$ ) is classified as insufficient because it results in a negative response.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is false. In GMAT 'Yes/No' Data Sufficiency questions, any statement that yields a definitive 'Yes' or a definitive 'No' answer is sufficient.

The statement is false because in 'Yes/No' Data Sufficiency questions, sufficiency requires a single, deterministic answer. A statement that proves a condition is always false gives a definitive 'No' answer, which satisfies sufficiency requirements.

Step-by-Step Solution

Analyze the core rule of 'Yes/No' Data Sufficiency questions.

A statement is sufficient if it yields a consistent 'Yes' across all cases OR a consistent 'No' across all cases.

Data Sufficiency measures whether a question can be answered deterministically with the given information.

Evaluate the outcome of proving

x < 0

for the question 'Is

x > 0

?'.

The answer to 'Is

x > 0

?' is conclusively 'No'.

Since

x < 0

guarantees

x

is not greater than

0

, there is zero ambiguity.

Determine sufficiency status based on decision logic.

Because the outcome is a definitive 'No', the statement is sufficient.

Insufficiency only occurs when a statement permits both 'Yes' and 'No' possibilities (a 'Maybe').

Key Concept

Definitive Yes/No Sufficiency in Data Sufficiency

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