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Aristotle DS - Both sufficient but different answers

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tommarquez Just gettin' started!
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Aristotle DS - Both sufficient but different answers Post Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:14 am
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    Hi folks - really need your help. When both the options of a DS question are sufficient but lead to different answers, should we choose D (each alone is sufficient) or E (not sufficient)?

    For example, here is a question and its solution from Aristotle:
    5. Five people - Adam, Bob, Craig, Daniel and Evan - are of different ages. Daniel is
    younger than both Adam and Craig. Craig is younger than Bob but older than Evan.
    Who among the five is the oldest?
    (1) The average age of Adam and Bob is less than the average age of Craig and
    Evan.
    (2) The average age of Bob and Craig is less than the average age of Adam and
    Evan.

    Explanation:
    Let the ages of Adam, Bob, Craig, Daniel and Evan be A, B, C, D and E.
    Now D < A, C
    E < C < B
    Statement (1)
    (A+B)/2 < (C+E)/2
    A + B < C + E
    But, B > C > E (given)
    Therefore A has to be less than E to make the equality in Statement (1) true.
    Hence D < A < E < C < B.
    B is oldest; SUFFICIENT
    Statement (2)
    (B+C) / 2 < (A+E) / 2
    B + C < A + E
    But, B > C > E (given)
    Therefore A has to be greater than B to make the equality in Statement (2) true.
    Hence D < E < C < B < A.
    A is oldest; SUFFICIENT
    The correct answer is D;
    each statement alone is sufficient.

    Aristotle says you should choose D but I'm not convinced. Is there any official stance of the GMAT on this?

    Thanks a ton in advance!

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    Mr Smith Just gettin' started! Default Avatar
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    Post Wed Apr 25, 2012 11:18 am
    In my experience, all DS questions in which both statements lead to an answer usually lead to the same one.

    but Strictly speaking, It is nowhere mentioned in the GMAT (at least I have never come across such statement) that both should lead to the same answer for choosing D.

    My advice: If you come across such scenario in which both statements lead to different answers, double check your working and solution. If you are still convinced that both can lead to answers (though different ones), I'd say, go with D.

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