Data Sufficiency - 42

Is a-3b an even number?

1). b=3a+3
2). b-a is an odd number

Answer: C

From statement (1): Given that b=3a+3
Thus a-3b=a-3(3a+3) = -8a-9 which may be even, odd, integer, non-integer, rational etc ... Hence insufficient

From statement (2): Given that b-a is an odd number implies b is of the form b=(2k+1)+a where k is an integer
Thus a-3b= a-3[(2k+1)+a] = -2a -6k-3 which may be even, odd, integer, non-integer, rational etc ..Hence insufficient

Taking statement (1) and (2) together: -8a-9=-2a-6k-3 for some integer k
or -6a=-6k+6=-6(k+1) implies a=k+1
Thus a is an integer, either odd or even

Now statement (2) tells us that b is also an integer and that exactly one of {a,b} is even
If a is even and b is odd, a-3b is odd
If b is even and a is odd a-3b is odd

Thus (1) and (2) combined tell us that a-3b is an odd number...hence sufficient