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Is x^2-y^2 even?

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by Sm1520 » Sat Oct 09, 2010 6:33 am
Is x^2 - y^2 even?

(1) x+y is odd
(2) x-y is odd

The OA is C

I figured it as D. Could someone pls help?

My reasoning was,

=> x^2 - y^2 = even?
=> (x+y) (x-y) = even?
=> If we can prove either x+y to be even or both (x+y)and (x-y) to be odd, we can get the ans.

(1) X+Y is odd: My assumption here is X and Y are either Integers or decimals because fraction can't be odd or even.
The sum of two decimals or integers will be odd only if one is even and the other one is odd. Hence, either X or Y is odd and the other is even. Similarly, the difference between an odd number and an even number will always be odd.
=> (odd) (odd) = odd
Hence sufficient.


(2) x-y is odd. My assumption here again is X and Y can either be Integers or decimals because fraction can't be odd or even. The difference between two integers or decimals will be odd only if one is odd and the other is even. Hence, either x or y is odd while the other is even. Similarly, the sum of one odd number and one even number will always be odd.
=> (Odd) (Odd) = (odd) - sufficient.

Hence, D.

Am i missing something here? Though i believe GMAT would never test the same logic in both the statements.

Thanks in advance!
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Source: — Data Sufficiency |

by shovan85 » Sat Oct 09, 2010 6:48 am
You missed to test your cases. You knew there is a case where fraction can play a role but while you did you reasoning The sum of two decimals or integers will be odd only if one is even and the other one is odd. This is not the case see the below example:

1. say x=2.3 y=2.7
(x+y) = 5 Odd
x-y = -0.4 (decimal)
Thus x^2 - y^2 = -2 (Even)

say x=2.2 y=2.8
x+y = 5
x-y = -0.6
Thus x^2 - y^2 = -3 (Odd)
A not sufficient.

2. Similarly we can test for this case. Which will be Not Suff.


Combine Odd*odd = Odd (Sufficient)
[/spoiler]
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by Sm1520 » Sat Oct 09, 2010 7:54 am
Ah.. kk.. grt! I get it.. thanx Shovan85!
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by Viktri » Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:32 pm
Data given:
formula can be rewritten as: (x+y)(x-y)

i) 1 of the ( ) is odd

odd x odd = odd
odd x even = even

therefore, unless you know what the other factor is, you cannot know if it is even or not

ii) same thing, other factor

combined: both factors: odd/odd therefore it is NOT divisible therefore you know the answer and it is solvable


Sm1520 wrote:Is x^2 - y^2 even?

(1) x+y is odd
(2) x-y is odd

The OA is C

I figured it as D. Could someone pls help?

My reasoning was,

=> x^2 - y^2 = even?
=> (x+y) (x-y) = even?
=> If we can prove either x+y to be even or both (x+y)and (x-y) to be odd, we can get the ans.

(1) X+Y is odd: My assumption here is X and Y are either Integers or decimals because fraction can't be odd or even.
The sum of two decimals or integers will be odd only if one is even and the other one is odd. Hence, either X or Y is odd and the other is even. Similarly, the difference between an odd number and an even number will always be odd.
=> (odd) (odd) = odd
Hence sufficient.


(2) x-y is odd. My assumption here again is X and Y can either be Integers or decimals because fraction can't be odd or even. The difference between two integers or decimals will be odd only if one is odd and the other is even. Hence, either x or y is odd while the other is even. Similarly, the sum of one odd number and one even number will always be odd.
=> (Odd) (Odd) = (odd) - sufficient.

Hence, D.

Am i missing something here? Though i believe GMAT would never test the same logic in both the statements.

Thanks in advance!
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by this_time_i_will » Sat Oct 16, 2010 5:40 am
Please note that by definition the term even and odd is confined to integers only.
Definition of even = any number that is a factor of 2 or when the given number is divided by 2, we get an integer.

Consider 2.6. This number is not a factor of 2. 2.6 divided by 2 will not give any integer.

However, the answer of the question is still C.

I: x+y = odd. x and y individually may be fractions, but togethar they are odd. Still, x-y can be a fraction and hence
the whole term x^2-Y^2 may not be an integer at all. so I is insufficent.

II: similar reasoning.
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