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PR 1012 -print error?

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PR 1012 -print error?

by uptowngirl92 » Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:40 am
If x and y are integers and x/y is an even integer,what is the value of x?
1. xy=36
2. y is an even integer.

[spoiler=]OA:E[/spoiler]

Hey guys this question is from the book PR 1012 Pg 139 #17 and I was wondering whether the 2nd stmt has a printing error.
Stmt 1:insufficient. x=36,y=1 and x=12,y=3 both satisy the condition.
Stmt 2 is odcourse insuff.
Combined:How can y be even?HELP!
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Source: — Data Sufficiency |

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Re: PR 1012 -print error?

by Ian Stewart » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:33 am
uptowngirl92 wrote:If x and y are integers and x/y is an even integer,what is the value of x?
1. xy=36
2. y is an even integer.

[spoiler=]OA:E[/spoiler]
You're completely right - that question is very badly designed. If y is even, and x/y is even, then x must be divisible by 4, and xy must be divisible by 8. So there's no way xy could be equal to 36. Perhaps they meant to say, in Statement 2, that y is odd, but as written, it's not a good question.

On real GMAT questions, the two statements are never contradictory. If you are asked to find the value of x, there is always *at least one* possible value of x. You need to decide if there's only one, or more than one.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

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