If a, b and n are positive integers such that n = 3a – b3

Detailed Solution

Step-I: Given Info:

We are given that \(a\), \(b\), \(n >0\) and are integers. Also \(n =3a – b^3\) and we are asked to find if \((n^2 + 3)\) is divisible by 2.

Step-II: Interpreting the Question Statement:

Let’s start from our expression i.e. \((n^2 + 3)\), this expression is divisible by 2 only if it’s even, since 3 is odd, for \(n^2 + 3\) to be even \(n^2\) has to be odd ( as odd + odd =even) and \(n^2\) can be odd only when \(n\) is odd.

Now, we know that \(n = 3a – b^3\) , for \(n\) to be odd, one of the \(3a\) or \(b^3\) has to be odd and other has to be even as the difference of an even and an odd number will always be odd. The even/odd nature of \(3a\) would depend on the even/odd nature of \(a\) and similarly the even odd nature of \(b^3\) would depend on the even/odd nature of \(b\). So, if we can establish that the even/odd nature of \(a\) and \(b\) are either similar or opposite, we will find our answer.

Step-III: Statement-I

Statement-I tells us that \(a^2 – 4b^3 = 5\), it tells us that difference of two numbers is odd. Since \(4b^3\) would always be even, for the difference of \(a^2\) and \(4b^3\) to be odd, \(a^2\) would have to be odd. For \(a^2\) to be odd, \(a\) has to be odd. But St-I does not tell us anything about the even/odd nature of \(b\).

So, Statement-I alone is insufficient.

Step-IV: Statement-II

Statement-II tells us that \(a^2 - 3b^3= 6\), it tells us that difference of two numbers is even. This is only possible in two cases:

a) When both \(a^2\) and \(3b^3\) are odd, for this to happen both \(a\) and \(b\) have to be odd or
b) When both \(a^2\) and \(3b^3\) are even, for this to happen both \(a\) and \(b\) have to be even

But, we know that for n to be odd, both \(a\) and \(b\) have to of opposite even/odd natures. We see that in St-II, in both the cases \(a\) and \(b\) are of the same nature, thus in both the cases, \(n\) would be even.

Hence, Statement-II is sufficient to answer our question.

Step-V: Combining Statements I & II

Since, we have a unique answer from Statement-II alone, we don’t need to combine the information from Statement-I and II.
Thus, the answer is Option B.

Key Takeaways

1. In even-odd questions, simplify complex expressions into simpler expressions using the properties of even-odd combinations.
2. Know the properties of even/odd combinations to save the time spent deriving them in the test
3. The even/odd nature of some expressions can be determined without knowing the exact even/odd nature of the variables of the expressions by using the even/odd combination property

Regards
Harsh