sarahw_gmat wrote:The numbers x and y are not integers. The value of x is closest to which integer?
1. 4 is the integer that is closest to x+y
2. 1 is the integer that is closest to x-y.
OA: E
First consider each statement individually.
(1) 4 is the integer that is closest to x+y implies 3.5 < x + y < 4.5. But x can be any non-integer value, so statement 1 alone is NOT SUFFICIENT.
(2) 1 is the integer that is closest to x-y implies 0.5 < x - y < 1.5. But x can be any non-integer value, so statement 2 alone is NOT SUFFICIENT.
Combining (1) and (2), we have 3.5 < x + y < 4.5 and 0.5 < x - y < 1.5, which gives 4 < 2x < 6 or 2 < x < 3
Again x can take any value between 2 and 3, so even two statements taken together are NOT sufficient.
The correct answer is E.
