
GMAT Inequalities questions are an important part of the GMAT Quant section. These questions test how well you can compare two values and find the range of possible answers, especially in real-life situations like age limits, budgets, profits, speed restrictions, and more.
You might get inequality questions alone or as part of longer word problems. The good news is, they are easy once you know the rules of comparing values. You don’t need high-level math, just careful observation and a strong understanding of inequality signs. Practice with the GMAT mock test to understand the pattern for the exam.
In this blog, you’ll find a simple rule PDF, a set of practice questions with answers, and a few additional problems to boost your confidence before the exam. You’ll also learn about common mistakes students make and smart time-saving tricks.
You only need a few rules to solve inequality questions. These rules help you compare quantities and find all values that satisfy the condition.
You can download the full rules PDF from the link above. Here’s a quick look at the main ones:
| Concept | Formula |
|---|---|
| Basic Inequality | a < b, a > b, a ≤ b, a ≥ b |
| Negative Multiplication Rule | If a < b → −a > −b |
| Combining Inequalities | If a < b and b < c → a < c |
| Absolute Value | |x| < a → −a < x < a |
| Reverse Absolute Value | |x| ≥ a → x ≤ −a or x ≥ a |
| Interval Notation | a < x < b → (a, b) |
| Boundary Included | a ≤ x ≤ b → [a, b] |
These rules are useful for speed, limit, budget constraints, and any problem where the result is a range instead of a single number.
Students often lose marks due to small misunderstandings about inequality rules. These mistakes mostly happen when solving quickly or manipulating equations incorrectly.
Here’s a short set of GMAT-style inequalities questions to help you practice. They include all common types of sign flipping, boundary check, range finding, and combined inequalities. Practice these often to become fast and accurate before your GMAT test.
If 3x + 4(1-x) > 5x -2 > 3x - 4, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 3
If 4 + 3x ≤ 6 + x and 3x + 5 > 2 + 2x, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 2
If $$2 + 2x < 3 + 5x$$ and $$3(x - 2)2 < 5 - x$$, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 1
If 7 + 4x > 3 + 3x and 3x - 2 < 5 - x; then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 3
If 4(x + 1) - 3 < 3 - x < 2x + 5, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 2
If 5 - 5x < 4 - x and 2 - x < 6 - 4x, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 1
If $$5\left(4-x\right)-4<3x-2>4x-6$$, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 1
If 5x + 5 > 2 + 2x and 5x + 3 ≤ 4x + 5; then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 4
If 5x - 4 ≤ 2 - x and 4x + 5 > 2x - 5, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 4
If 2x - 1 < 5x + 2 and 2x + 5 < 6 - 3x, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 2
If 2x - 3 ≤ 5 + x and 5 - x < 1 + 5x, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 2
If 5 - 3x < 4 - x and 5(2 - x) > 2 - 2x, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 3
If 2(3x + 5) > 4x - 5 < 3x + 2, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 2
If 3x + 2 < 2x + 1 and x - 4 ≤ 2x - 1, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 1
If 4(4x + 5) > 2x - 1 > 4x - 3, then x can take which of the following values?
correct answer:- 4
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GMAT Inequality questions test your ability to compare quantities, find valid ranges, and apply mathematical rules correctly in the Quant section.
Focus on key rules like sign flipping, boundary checks, and absolute value cases. Practice regularly using GMAT inequality PDFs and mock questions.
Students often forget to flip signs when multiplying by negatives or incorrectly merge inequalities without aligning variables.
They are not difficult once you understand the core rules and practice regularly. Most questions are based on logic rather than tough calculations.
Use number lines or interval notation to clearly visualise the valid range of values satisfying the given conditions.
You can download the GMAT Math Rules PDF from the link provided in this article to review all inequality rules and examples in one place.