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Something wrong with this question?

Expert replies
by gmatwarroom » Sat May 05, 2012 11:53 am
I found this question-n-answer on net and somehow not convinced with the question -- seems question was not put "accurately", not the way it was solved.

******************************************
Ques: The sum of the even numbers between 1 and n is 79*80, where n is an odd number, then n=?

Sol: First term a=2, common difference d=2 since even number
an = a1 + (n - 1)d, n = 1, 2, ...
therefore sum to first n numbers of Arithmetic progression would be
n/2(2a+(n-1)d)
= n/2(2*2+(n-1)*2)=n(n+1) and this is equal to 79*80
therefore n=79 which is odd...
******************************************

In the question, it says "n is an odd number" and so it's pointing that n is the value of nth term and not the value of n (i.e. # of terms in the series). However, in solution, it used "n" as the # of terms in the series -- which is wrong.

As I understand,
Series would be: 2, 4, 6, 8 ..... (n-1)
getting # of terms (x) in the series:
n-1 = 2 + (x-1)* 2 => n-1 = 2 + 2x - 2 = 2x ==> x = (n-1)/2
therefore Sum = x/2 [ 2*2 + (x-1)*2] = (n-1)/4 [ 4 + 2x - 2] = (n-1)/4 [2 + 2x] = (n-1)/2 [x+1]
= (n-1)/2 [ (n-1)/2 +1 ] = (n-1)2 [ (n+1)/2] = ( n square - 1 ) / 4 = 79*80
==> n square = 79*80*4 +1 ==> n = 159 which is odd number

Can someone verify and reconfirm? Thanks
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Source: — Problem Solving |

by Bill@VeritasPrep » Sat May 05, 2012 1:10 pm
Yep, you did it correctly. That's one of the issues with doing problems from sets that float around the Internet.
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by GMATGuruNY » Sat May 05, 2012 3:42 pm
gmatwarroom wrote:I found this question-n-answer on net and somehow not convinced with the question -- seems question was not put "accurately", not the way it was solved.

******************************************
Ques: The sum of the even numbers between 1 and n is 79*80, where n is an odd number, then n=?

Can someone verify and reconfirm? Thanks
I too get an answer of 159.

This problem becomes less tricky if we realize that 79*80 represents the formula for the sum of evenly spaced integers:

Sum = (number of integers) * (average of the biggest and smallest)

Thus, 79 = the number of even integers and 80 = the average of the biggest and smallest.
Let x = the biggest integer.
The smallest integer = 2.
(x+2)/2 = 80.
x+2 = 160
x = 158.
Thus, 79*80 represents the sum of the even integers from 2 to 158.
Since n is the next biggest odd integer, n=159.
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by krishna239455 » Sat May 05, 2012 11:01 pm
hi mitch

u have considered 80 as average because it is given that n is odd number, rigth?

if it is not given then will it be difficult to say whether 79 or 80 is the average?

pls reply
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by krishna239455 » Sat May 05, 2012 11:03 pm
hi mitch

u have considered 80 as average because it is given that n is odd number, rigth?

if it is not given then will it be difficult to say whether 79 or 80 is the average?

pls reply
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by gmatwarroom » Sun May 06, 2012 3:13 pm
Hi Mitch,

thanks for the formula -- helps.

However, even I have the same question that Krishna asked -- pls let us know.

Secondly, going by the formula, if 79 is the # of terms in the series then the greatest value (in the series) is straight to find i.e. 79*2 = 158 (as we are dealing with consecutive even numbers) - so, I don't see the need of using any further calculation of average etc.

What you think?
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