Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Data Sufficiency - 40

In XY plane, does the line with equation y=3x+2 contain point (r,s)?

1) (3r + 2 - s)(4r + 9 - s) = 0
2) (4r - 6 - s)(3r + 2 - s) = 0

Answer: C

Given that
y = 3x+2 implies that does 3x+2-y = 0 contains the point (r,s) implies is (3r+2-s) = 0 ?

From statement (1): (3r+
2-s)(4r+9-s) = 0 implies either (3r+2-s) = 0 or (4r+9-s) = 0.
Now when (3r+2-s)...the line passes through (r,s)
When (4r+9-s) = 0 ...we cannot determine that whether the line passes through (r,s) or not.
Hence insufficient

From statement (2): (4r-6-s)(3r+2-s) = 0 implies either (4r-6-s) = 0 or (3r+2-s) = 0
Now when (4r-6-s) = 0 ... we cannot determine that whether the line passes through (r,s) or not
When (3r+2-s) = 0..the line passes through (r,s)
Hence insufficient

Taking statement (1) and (2) together: (3r+2-s)(4r+9-s) = 0 and (4r-6-s)(3r+2-s) =0... We cannot have both 4r+9-s=0 and 4r-6-s=0 so it is (3r+2-s) = 0 ... only this equation makes both the equations to be 0
Hence sufficient