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Divisibility Question

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by kaushikkumar1987 » Wed Jun 22, 2011 3:48 am
Hi,

This is a fairly simple question but even I would please like to have an explanation for the same.

Q. If j is divisible by 12 and 10 then is j divisible by 24?

What I have done is:
12 = 2 x 2 x 3 and 10 = 2 x 5
24 = j x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3

If we look at 12 and 10 then clearly we can say that we have sufficient information to prove that j is divisible by 24. Isn't it? But answer mentions it to be - 'Can't be determined'.

Thanks,
Kaushik K
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Source: — Problem Solving |

by Anurag@Gurome » Wed Jun 22, 2011 4:04 am
kaushikkumar1987 wrote:If j is divisible by 12 and 10 then is j divisible by 24?

From the information "j is divisible 12 and 10" we can only conclude that j is divisible by the LCM of 12 and 10, i.e. 60.

Hence, we cannot determine whether j is divisible by 24 or not.
Anurag Mairal, Ph.D., MBA
GMAT Expert, Admissions and Career Guidance
Gurome, Inc.
1-800-566-4043 (USA)

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by casperkamal » Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:54 am
Hi Kaushik,

I think you have picked up this problem from MGMAT Number properties. Going by their own explanation when you convert them in to their prime factors.

12 - 2 X 2 X 3
10 - 2 X 5

For J to be divisible by 24 it should have 2 X 2 X 2 X 3

From the above factorization we identify that there are two "2" and one "3". The two in 10 might be redundant. it is already counted in the two "2" represented by 12. So we cannot be sure if 24 can divide j. Hence the answer cannot be determined.
Kamal
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by casperkamal » Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:55 am
@ Anurag@Gurome Thanks for the alternative approach :)
Kamal
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