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

Redeem

Target Test Prep · GMAT

Choose how you want to prepare

Learn live with an expert or move at your own pace. Every option includes the complete TTP study system.

★★★★★5.0559 reviews
Vote for Target Test Prep, Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards 2026
NEWSWEEK READERS’ CHOICE 2026

BIG NEWS! Target Test Prep has been nominated, and they’d love your vote!

TTP has worked incredibly hard to build the best test prep experience possible, and winning Newsweek’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Test Prep would mean a lot to them. If TTP has helped you, they’d be incredibly grateful for your vote. You can vote once each day through September 9.

Vote for TTP
GMATLiveTeach 7 seats left
Chris Peckover
NEXT LIVE COHORT

Oct 13 to Jan 7, 2027

with Chris Peckover

Schedule
Tue, Thu · 8:00 to 10:00 PM ET
Included
40 live hours + 6 months of GMAT OnDemand
  • Live instruction and real-time questions
  • Class recordings and assigned practice
View class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
EALiveTeach 5 seats left
Logan Thompson
EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT

Sep 6 to Dec 6, 2026

with Logan Thompson

Schedule
Sun · 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Included
40 hours of live online classes plus six months of access to the complete TTP EA OnDemand course.
  • 165+ EA Score Guarantee
  • 4,100+ Quant, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning practice questions
  • 400+ hours of in-depth video lessons
  • 3,000+ step-by-step video solutions
View EA class & enroll
Limited cohort · enrollment openTarget Test Prep
GMATOnDemand Start anytime
SELF-PACED MASTERCLASS

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Complete access from day one. Study on your schedule.

715+ score guarantee
$0to start then $127/mo
  • Personalized study plan and analytics
  • Thousands of lessons and practice questions

Compare the format, schedule, and included access before enrolling. Prices and seat counts shown reflect the supplied offer details.

Remainders, Probability, and Number Property

Expert replies
by Cedagmat » Mon Nov 15, 2010 2:33 pm
242. If x and y are positive integers, is x - y divisible by 4?
(1) xy is divisible by 16.
(2) x is divisible by 4.

[spoiler]Answer: E[/spoiler]
S1)
xy can be 16 = (1,16), (2,8), (4,4)
xy can be 32=(1, 32), (2, 16), (4, 8)
xy can be 48=(1, 48), (2, 24), (3, 16), (4, 8)

(x-y) can be divisible by 4, and not divisible by 4. Thus insufficient.

S2) x is divisible by 4. Then x must be 4a. No information on y. Thus insufficient.

If x is 4, then the pairs: (1, 16) and (2,8) are possibilities. Looking at (x-y): 16-1 is not divisible by 4, but (8-4) is divisible by 4. Thus insufficient.

Is there an easier way to do this other than listing the factor pairs?


There are 20 books in a bookcase. If one book is selected at random, what is the probability that the book is either a hardback or a novel?
(1) 8 books in the bookcase are novel books and 10 books are hardbacks.
(2) 3 books in the bookcase are hardback novels.

[spoiler]Answer: C[/spoiler]
S1: We know that there are 8 novels and 10 hardbacks, but we do not know how many books are both. Insufficient.
S2: We know there are 3 books which are both hardbacks and novels. Thus 20-3=17 must be the number of books which are either hardbacks or novels. Thus 17/20 is the answer. Sufficient.

Can anyone explain way I need statement 1?

256. If n is a positive integer between 30 and 60, inclusive, what is the value of n?
(1) When n is divided by 4, the remainder is 1.
(2) When n is divided by 5, the remainder is 2.

[spoiler]Answer: E[/spoiler]

30≤n≤60

S1: n=4a+1
4(8)+1=33
4(9)+1= 37
4(10)+1=41
4(11)+1=45
4(12)+1=49
4(13)+1=53
4(14)+1=57
Insufficient
S2: n= 5b+2
5(6)+2=32
5(7)+2=37
5(8)+2=42
5(9)+2=47
5(10)+2=52
5(11)+2=57
Insufficient.

Together: 37 and 57 is in both sets of numbers. Thus insufficient.
Again, does anyone have a better method than listing out the possibilities?
Join the discussion
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

by diebeatsthegmat » Mon Nov 15, 2010 6:26 pm
Cedagmat wrote:242. If x and y are positive integers, is x - y divisible by 4?
(1) xy is divisible by 16.
(2) x is divisible by 4.

[spoiler]Answer: E[/spoiler]
S1)
xy can be 16 = (1,16), (2,8), (4,4)
xy can be 32=(1, 32), (2, 16), (4, 8)
xy can be 48=(1, 48), (2, 24), (3, 16), (4, 8)

(x-y) can be divisible by 4, and not divisible by 4. Thus insufficient.

S2) x is divisible by 4. Then x must be 4a. No information on y. Thus insufficient.

If x is 4, then the pairs: (1, 16) and (2,8) are possibilities. Looking at (x-y): 16-1 is not divisible by 4, but (8-4) is divisible by 4. Thus insufficient.

Is there an easier way to do this other than listing the factor pairs?


There are 20 books in a bookcase. If one book is selected at random, what is the probability that the book is either a hardback or a novel?
(1) 8 books in the bookcase are novel books and 10 books are hardbacks.
(2) 3 books in the bookcase are hardback novels.

[spoiler]Answer: C[/spoiler]
S1: We know that there are 8 novels and 10 hardbacks, but we do not know how many books are both. Insufficient.
S2: We know there are 3 books which are both hardbacks and novels. Thus 20-3=17 must be the number of books which are either hardbacks or novels. Thus 17/20 is the answer. Sufficient.

Can anyone explain way I need statement 1?

256. If n is a positive integer between 30 and 60, inclusive, what is the value of n?
(1) When n is divided by 4, the remainder is 1.
(2) When n is divided by 5, the remainder is 2.

[spoiler]Answer: E[/spoiler]

30≤n≤60

S1: n=4a+1
4(8)+1=33
4(9)+1= 37
4(10)+1=41
4(11)+1=45
4(12)+1=49
4(13)+1=53
4(14)+1=57
Insufficient
S2: n= 5b+2
5(6)+2=32
5(7)+2=37
5(8)+2=42
5(9)+2=47
5(10)+2=52
5(11)+2=57
Insufficient.

Together: 37 and 57 is in both sets of numbers. Thus insufficient.
Again, does anyone have a better method than listing out the possibilities?
hmhmhm
for the second question ... we need statement 1 because you made a mistake...
you cant take 20-3
its must be 20=8+10-3+number of books which are not novel and hardback to find the number of book who are neither hardback or novel
and its = 5
P(not h and not N)=5/20=1/4
so P(both)=1-1/4=3/4

for the first and third question, actually yo dont need to make details. i think
question 1.
statement 2 is insufficient cos we dont know about y ( ignore it)
statement1 xy=16 x =4 y=4 so x-y=0 (yes)
x=2 y=8 so x-y=-6 and -6 cant be divisible by 4 ( no)
1+2) x=4 y=4 so x-y=0 (yes)
x=4 y=8 so x-y=-2 so no
E
question 3.
i did the same but i just use the detail in statement 1 to guess the answer
Join the discussion

by Geva@EconomistGMAT » Tue Nov 16, 2010 1:38 am
I think what you're missing for 1 and 3 is a more focused approach. You don't need to list out every possible scenario - you just need two counter examples:

In 1: You need two counter examples, one yes (x-y) is divisible by 4, on no (x-y is not divisible by 4).

Stat. (1) allows x and y to be 4 and 4, or 1 and 16. in the first case, the 4-4 =0 is divisible by 4 (zero is div by every integer except itself), so "yes". in the second case, 16-1=15 is not div by 4, so "no.

Stat. (2): you said it - we don't know anything about y.

combined: x is div by 4 doesn't mean x is divisible only by one 4: x could still be 4 or 16 (as 16 is still div by 4, it still satisfies stat. (2)), so the two cases we used for stat. (1) are still applicable when combined.


In Q3: Each statement is obviously insufficient, as it allows several values.
Combined: I'd list the terms of one of the statements, and just look among them for terms that also satisfy the other statement. For example:
multiples of 4 with rem of 1: 33, 37, 41, 45, 49, 53, 57 (just start with 33 and move in jumps of 4)
Out of these, are there any terms that, when reduced by 2, give a number divisible by 5?

Only 37 and 57 count - take 2 away, and you are left with a number that ends with a units digit of 5, which is a sign of divisibility by 5. But that's still one more than value, so answer is still E.
Geva
Senior Instructor
Master GMAT
1-888-780-GMAT
https://www.mastergmat.com
Join the discussion