tough DS question...please help

This topic has expert replies
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:51 pm

tough DS question...please help

by nqhussain » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:28 am
In a single row of yellow, green and red colored tiles, every red tile is preceded immediately by a yellow tile and every yellow tile is preceded immediately by a green tile. What color is the 24th tile in the row?

(1) The 18th tile in the row is not yellow.

(2) The 19th tile in the row is not green.

Because the information in the question as establishing a pattern as follows:

Green, Yellow, Red, Green, Yellow, Red, . . .

I come to an answer of (C)Both statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER one ALONE is sufficient.

however, the actual answer is E. Can anyone help explain?
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 111
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:05 pm
Thanked: 18 times
Followed by:1 members

by xilef » Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:44 pm
E is correct because it doesn't say what green is preceded by, so you can have the following pattern:

Green, Green, Green, Green, Green, Yellow, Red, Green, Green, Green, Green, Green, Yellow, Red...

that's is a difficult problem, because it is very easy to assume that the only pattern is:

Green, Yellow, Red, Green, Yellow, Red, . . .