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.

Set A is given as {1, 2, 3, … , n} and n is a positive integer. What is the value of n?

Expert replies
by Max@Math Revolution » Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:12 am

Timer

00:00

Answers

A

B

C

D

E

Stats

Difficulty

[GMAT math practice question]

Set A is given as {1, 2, 3, … , n} and n is a positive integer. What is the value of n?

1) The number of subsets of A containing both 1 and n is 16.
2) n is less than 8.
Join the discussion
Source: — Data Sufficiency |

=>

Forget conventional ways of solving math questions. For DS problems, the VA (Variable Approach) method is the quickest and easiest way to find the answer without actually solving the problem. Remember that equal numbers of variables and independent equations ensure a solution.
Visit https://www.mathrevolution.com/gmat/lesson for details.

Since we have 1 variable (n) and 0 equations, D is most likely the answer. So, we should consider each condition on its own first.

Let’s look at condition 1). It tells us that set A has four elements.

Remember that the number of subsets of a set with n elements is 2n.
Since 2n = 24 = 16, we have n = 4.

The answer is unique, and the condition is sufficient according to Common Mistake Type 2, which states that the number of answers must be only one.

Let’s look at condition 2). It tells us that we don’t have a unique solution since n = 6 and n = 7 are possible values.

The answer is not unique, and the condition is not sufficient, according to Common Mistake Type 2, which states that the number of answers must be only one.

Condition 1) ALONE is sufficient.

Therefore, A is the correct answer.
Answer: A

If the original condition includes “1 variable”, or “2 variables and 1 equation”, or “3 variables and 2 equations,” etc., one more equation is required to answer the question. If each of conditions 1) and 2) provide an additional equation, there is a 59% chance that D is the answer, a 38% chance that A or B is the answer, and a 3% chance that the answer is C or E. Thus, answer D (conditions 1) and 2), when applied separately, are sufficient to answer the question) is most likely, but there may be cases where the answer is A, B, C, or E.
Join the discussion