DS Question: X=?. Correct Answer D.

Question

Hello there.

I got a DS question aksing for the value of a variable x. The correct answer is D, each statement alone is sufficient.

But now the problem: I get different values from the two statements, e.g.: statement 1 -> x=3, statement 2 -> x=4.

Is that possible in DS questions?

Best regards

Bunuel · Answer

No, scenario you describe is not possible, since on the GMAT, two data sufficiency statements always provide TRUE information and these statements never contradict each other . So, for example in an YES/NO DS question you cannot have a NO answer from the first statement and an YES answer from the second statement or if you are asked to find the value of x, then you cannot get x=3 from the first statement and x=4 from the second statement (this would mean that your solution is not correct). Hope it helps. P.S. Please read and follow: rules-for-posting-please-read-this-before-posting-133935.html

Wurmi · Answer

Thank you very much!

KarishmaB · Answer

This is how I like to explain why the two statements cannot give you conflicting answers:

Imagine that the GMAT DS question stem is a puzzle. You cannot answer it with the data given in the stem. So you get a clue (stmnt 1). You try and solve it using stmnt 1. Say, it is not enough. You get another clue (stmnt 2). You try and solve it using 2 alone. If it is not enough, you try solving using both statements. There is only one answer to the puzzle. The 2 statements are just 2 clues to the puzzle so it will not happen that they give conflicting answers.

DS Question: X=?. Correct Answer D.

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