Faster approach?

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Faster approach?

by metallicafan » Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:00 pm
If S = y^2 + 2xy + x^2, what is the value of xy?
(1) x + y = 1
(2) S = 1

My approach:
(1) x + y = 1
Scenario A: x= 0.6 and y= 0.4, xy=0.24
Scenario B: x= 0.8 and y= 0.2, xy=0.16
INSUFFICIENT

(2) S = 1
1 = y^2 + 2xy + x^2
1 = (x+y)^2
Unsquaring:
1 = square root of (x+y)^2
Then:
1 = |x+y|
So:
x+ y = 1 OR x+y = -1
It happens the same as in scenarios A and B.
INSUFFICIENT.

(1) and (2) INSUFFICIENT

However, is there a faster way to solve it? This approach is exahusting!


OA: E
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

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by Anurag@Gurome » Sat Jun 30, 2012 6:33 pm
metallicafan wrote:If S = y^2 + 2xy + x^2, what is the value of xy?
(1) x + y = 1
(2) S = 1
One simple and faster way to solve this problem by noting that if (x + y) = 1, then S will be also equal to 1 as S = (x + y)²

Hence, you can use the same examples you have used in statement 1 to use in statement 2.

In fact you can choose integers rather than fractions to reduce calculations. Consider the following examples
  • 1. x = 2, y = -1 --> (x + y) = 1 --> S = (x + y)² = 1 --> xy = -2
    2. x = 1, y = 0 --> (x + y) = 1 --> S = (x + y)² = 1 --> xy = 0
Both examples satisfy both the statements.
Hence, both statements together is also insufficient.

The correct answer is E.
Anurag Mairal, Ph.D., MBA
GMAT Expert, Admissions and Career Guidance
Gurome, Inc.
1-800-566-4043 (USA)

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