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by Castor.kim » Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:02 am
If a and b are consecutive even integers in ascending order, and if the sum of the two consecutive even integers that immediately precede a is 26, what is the sum of a and b?

a.28
b.30
c.32
d.34
e.36

I can'y understand what this problem ask..
OA is d

please any one see this problem?
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Source: — Problem Solving |

by GMATGuruNY » Fri Oct 19, 2012 2:57 am
Castor.kim wrote:If a and b are consecutive even integers in ascending order, and if the sum of the two consecutive even integers that immediately precede a is 26, what is the sum of a and b?

a.28
b.30
c.32
d.34
e.36

I can'y understand what this problem ask..
OA is d

please any one see this problem?
Make a list of CONSECUTIVE EVEN INTEGERS:
...10, 12, 14, 16, 18...

The sum of the two consecutive even integers that immediately precede a is 26.
10, 12, 14, 16, 18...
12+14 = 26.

Since 12 and 14 are the two even integers that immediately PRECEDE a, a and b are the NEXT TWO INTEGERS in the list:
10, 12, 14, a=16, b=18...
a+b = 16+18 = 34.

The correct answer is D.
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by anuprajan5 » Fri Oct 19, 2012 3:25 am
An algebraic approach could be

Assume a is n
Therefore b is n+2 (because b is a consecutive integer)

The numbers before a follow the same pattern. Therefore they are n-2 and n-4

The sum of the 2 previous numbers is 26.

n-2+n-4 = 26

Therefore 2n-6=26

n = 16
n+2 = 18

Therefore the sum of n and n+2 is 34.
Regards
Anup
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