BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

Number Properties

Expert replies
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

by MAAJ » Wed May 04, 2011 9:52 am
Posible combinations:

p * q-p * p = Even
O * E * O = Even
O * O * E = Even
E * O * O = Even
E * E * E = Even

(A) p -> Not necessarily
(B) q -> Not necessarily
(C) p-q -> Not necessarily
(D) pq -> Not necessarily
(E) p-pq -> Chose (E), but now that I'm testing (E), it looks like p-pq could be ODD or EVEN...

What's the OA?
"There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results."
Join the discussion

by clock60 » Wed May 04, 2011 11:33 am
hi koby gen
can you check the problem one more time
i as well as MAAJ also got that every option can be even or odd.
Join the discussion

by pankajks2010 » Thu May 05, 2011 7:04 pm
koby_gen wrote:If p and q are integers and p*q-p*p is even, which of the following must also be even ?

(A) p
(B) q
(C) p-q
(D) pq
(E) p-pq
Hi Folks,

For p*q-p*p to be even either both the terms (p*p and p*p) should be odd or both should be even.

Based on this the nature of p & q can be as follows:

a) When p is odd, q has to be odd
b) When p is even, q can be either odd or even

Now, using the above two, we can easily eliminate the first four choices.

Now, evaluating the two cases for the last option p-p*q:
a) When p is odd, then q also is odd thus, option E becomes (odd-odd=even)
b) When p is even, then q can be either odd/even. However, product of (even & odd) or (even & even) gives only an even number. Thus, the option E becomes (even-even=even)

Thus, the answer is E
Join the discussion