please help

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please help

by sana.noor » Wed Oct 10, 2012 4:50 am
1) What is the value of xy?
a) y= x+1 b) y= x^2 +1

2) What is the value of xy?
a) y= x-1 b) y= x^2 -1
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by GMATGuruNY » Wed Oct 10, 2012 6:27 am
sana.noor wrote:1) What is the value of xy?
a) y= x+1 b) y= x^2 +1
Each statement on its own is clearly insufficient.

Statements 1 and 2 combined:
Substituting y=x²+1 into y=x+1, we get:
x²+1 = x+1
x²-x = 0
x(x-1) = 0.
x=0 or x=1.

To determine the values of y, plug x=0 and x=1 into y=x+1.
If x=0, then y=0+1 = 1, with the result that xy = 0*1 = 0.
If x=1, then y=1+1 = 2, with the result that xy = 1*2 = 2.
Since xy can take on different values, the two statements combined are INSUFFICIENT.

The correct answer is E.
2) What is the value of xy?
a) y= x-1 b) y= x^2 -1
Each statement on its own is clearly insufficient.

Statements 1 and 2 combined:
Substituting y=x²-1 into y=x-1, we get:
x²-1 = x-1
x²-x = 0
x(x-1) = 0.
x=0 or x=1.

To determine the values of y, plug x=0 and x=1 into y=x-1.
If x=0, then y=0-1 = -1, with the result that xy = 0(-1) = 0.
If x=1, then y=1-1 = 0, with the result that xy = 1*0 = 0.
Since in each case xy=0, the two statements combined are SUFFICIENT.

The correct answer is C.
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by anuprajan5 » Wed Oct 10, 2012 6:33 am
The only addition I have is that in the 2nd problem it might be tempting to simplify the expression when the 2 statements are combined and that would be incorrect.

X^2-1 = x-1

cannot be simplified as we do not know what x is. If x is 1, then we cannot simplify the expression by cancelling zeroes.

Regards
Anup