What is the distance between x and y on the number line?

[JohannaH678]

Hi there,

I'm working to get better at DS in general, specifically by trying to recognize and eliminate C trap questions before testing cases (So I have narrowed down options first). Online someone said this is a "Copy" C Trap meaning statements 1 and 2 reveal the same information.

Is that true?

Any tips on how to work on/think through abs value questions to not get stuck (other than just testing cases)?

What is the distance between x and y on the number line?

(1) |x| – |y| = 5
(2) |x| + |y| = 11

[RonPurewal]

Online someone said this is a "Copy" C Trap meaning ...

^^ lol... this person is going to do much worse on the GMAT than he/she potentially could.

a "c trap" is a situation in which the two statements OBVIOUSLY combine to give you ALL THE INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF INFORMATION IN THE WHOLE PROBLEM.

this is clearly not a c trap, since there is nothing "obvious" about two equations involving absolute values.

[RonPurewal]

Any tips on how to work on/think through abs value questions to not get stuck (other than just testing cases)?

^^ what's wrong with testing cases?

absolute value problems are a VERY minor topic. on your entire GMAT exam, there will be either 0 or 1 problem about absolute-value equations. there will DEFINITELY not be more than 1 such problem.
so...
if you can address this topic often enough by testing cases, then... just use testing cases as your default strategy, and don't waste the time intensively studying the topic!

[RonPurewal]

in any case --

is this problem actually from the FREE GMATPrep software?

if so, then, please post a SCREENSHOT of the problem FROM THE ORIGINAL SOFTWARE.

i apologize for the inconvenience, but, we need to make sure these problems are coming from allowed sources. thank you.
we can't discuss the problem any further until such a screenshot is posted.

[JohannaH678]

I didn't think it was a copy. Thank you for confirming.

It is from a CAT exam I took on MGMAT, for me it was #33 of 37. They call it "absolute distance".

Here is the link: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/onli ... ionid=2431

This dialog box won't let me upload images or paste screen shots. I can email the image to you if you'd like.

[Linh]

If the question asked: what's x, then it would be a c-trap question.

[RonPurewal]

I didn't think it was a copy. Thank you for confirming.

It is from a CAT exam I took on MGMAT, for me it was #33 of 37. They call it "absolute distance".

Here is the link: https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/onli ... ionid=2431

This dialog box won't let me upload images or paste screen shots. I can email the image to you if you'd like.

this is the wrong folder for problems from our CAT exams. those exams have their own dedicated folder here.

please re-post your question in the correct folder. thank you.

[RonPurewal]

If the question asked: what's x, then it would be a c-trap question.

no. in fact, the answer to that would be E.