CAT 2000QA Question 22

Simple EquationsEasy
Passage / Data

Answer the following question based on the information given below.

For three distinct positive real numbers x, y and z, let

f(x, y, z) = min(max(x, y), max(y, z), max(z, x))

g(x, y, z) = max(min(x, y), min(y, z), min(z, x))

h(x, y, z) = max(max(x, y), max(y, z), max(z, x))

j(x, y, z) = min(min(x, y), min(y, z), min(z, x))

m(x, y, z) = max(x, y, z)

n(x, y, z) = min(x, y, z)

Which of the following is necessarily greater than 1?

Answer & solution

  • A

    (h(x, y, z) – f(x, y, z))/j(x, y, z)

  • B

    j(x, y, z)/h(x, y, z)

  • C

    f(x, y, z)/g(x, y, z)

  • (f(x, y, z) + h(x, y, z) – g(x, y, z))/j(x, y, z)

Solution

x, y and z  are distinct real numbers.

∴ Without loss of generality, let x < y < z

Then,

f(x, y, z) = y; g(x, y, z) = y; h(x, y, z) = z

j(x, y, z) = x; m(x, y, z) = z; n(x, y, z) = x

Substituting these values in the given options,

Option 1 = (z – y)/x may or may not be greater than 1.

Option 2 = x/z < 1

Option 3 = y/y = 1

Option 4 = (y + z − y)/x > 1

Hence, option (d).

CAT 2000 QA Q22: Which of the following is necessarily greater than 1? — Solution | TheCATExam