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

Redeem

sequence series

Expert replies
Source: — Problem Solving |

Re: sequence series

by Ian Stewart » Mon May 11, 2009 6:11 pm
maihuna wrote:Find the sum of :

1 × 2 × 3 + 2 × 3 × 4 + 3 × 4 × 5 + ...+ 12x13x14

7250
8190
8930
9250
9660
Each term in the sum is a product of three consecutive integers, so each term is a multiple of 3! = 6. Since we're adding multiples of 6, the sum is a multiple of 6 (and particularly of 3). Adding the digits in each answer, only 8190 and 9660 could be correct.

Now, 8190 is not divisible by 4, while 9660 is, so if we can decide whether the sum is a multiple of 4, we'll know which answer choice is the right one. In our sum, which I'll call S, most of the terms are multiples of 4, and will add to some multiple of 4 -- call it 4k. Now,

S = 4k + 1*2*3 + 5*6*7 + 9*10*11
S = 2(2k + 1*3 + 5*3*7 + 9*5*11)
S = 2(even + odd + odd + odd)
S = 2(some odd number)

So S is a multiple of 2, but not a multiple of 4, and 9660 cannot be correct, and the answer must be 8190.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

ianstewartgmat.com
Join the discussion

by maihuna » Tue May 12, 2009 9:19 am
Hi Ian,
Yes OA is 8190 only. Can we have a method to solve such questions?
Regards,
maihuna
Charged up again to beat the beast :)
Join the discussion

by sureshbala » Tue May 12, 2009 7:03 pm
maihuna wrote:Hi Ian,
Yes OA is 8190 only. Can we have a method to solve such questions?
Regards,
maihuna
The method suggested by Ian is absolutely fine, but if there is one more option such that it leaves a remainder 2 when divided by 4 and 0 when divided by 3 we need to calculate the sum which can be done as follows...


The nth term of the sequence

Tn = (n)(n+1)(n+2) = n(n^2+3n+2)=n^3+3n^2+2n

Tn = n^3+3n^2+2n

Now sum to n terms is

Sn = (Sum of the cubes of first n numbers i.e. n^3)+3(Sum of the squares of the first n numbers i.e. n^2)+2(Sum of the first n numbers)

i.e. Sn = [n(n+1)/2]^2 + 3[n(n+1)(2n+1)/6] + 2[n(n+1)/2]

=n(n+1)/2[n(n+1)2 +(2n+1) + 2]

Substituting n =12 we get the sum to 12 terms i.e. the given terms

Sn = 12x13/2[12x13/2 + 25 + 2]=78[105]=8190
Join the discussion

by Ian Stewart » Wed May 13, 2009 4:08 am
sureshbala wrote: The method suggested by Ian is absolutely fine, but if there is one more option such that it leaves a remainder 2 when divided by 4 and 0 when divided by 3 we need to calculate the sum which can be done as follows...
Suresh has a good general solution above, but I wanted to suggest an approach that did not use formulas (sum of the first n cubes, for example) which are never required for the GMAT. The question in the original post is not a realistic GMAT question, since it would be too time consuming for most. There are other ways to solve it besides the two approaches above; by grouping the terms and factoring appropriately, you can get down to small numbers fairly easily without using any special formulas, but those solutions aren't especially interesting, and do take a bit of time to complete.
For online GMAT math tutoring, or to buy my higher-level Quant books and problem sets, contact me at ianstewartgmat at gmail.com

ianstewartgmat.com
Join the discussion

last step...!!

by chintanjadwani » Wed May 27, 2009 11:24 pm
8190 9660

the first step i used was the same as Ian... i.e seeing if the nos have 2 and 3 as factors...so down to 8190 and 9660...!!

now for the next step.. we know that 2*3*4 , 3*4*5...upto WILL HAVE 12 as a factor. However 1*2*3 will not..

so deduct 6 ie. 1*2*3 from 8190 and 9660 and divide it by 12, if it gives an integer value, we have the answer..which leaves us with 8190 ;) ;)
Join the discussion