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Archit3110
Bunuel
If a is a positive integer, then which of the following must be true of (a − 1)(a)(a + 1)?

I. It is always divisible by 3.
II. It is always divisible by 4.
III. It is non-prime.


A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. I and III only
E. I, II and III

we can test the given relation (a − 1)(a)(a + 1) for values of a=1,2,3,4 so on
and see that only option 1 is valid always
IMO A

Archit, (a − 1)(a)(a + 1) is always 3k, shouldn't be a composite number?
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Archit3110
Bunuel
If a is a positive integer, then which of the following must be true of (a − 1)(a)(a + 1)?

I. It is always divisible by 3.
II. It is always divisible by 4.
III. It is non-prime.


A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. I and III only
E. I, II and III

we can test the given relation (a − 1)(a)(a + 1) for values of a=1,2,3,4 so on
and see that only option 1 is valid always
IMO A

Archit, (a − 1)(a)(a + 1) is always 3k, shouldn't be a composite number?

yes, i did an error solving...
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Bunuel
If a is a positive integer, then which of the following must be true of (a − 1)(a)(a + 1)?

I. It is always divisible by 3.
II. It is always divisible by 4.
III. It is non-prime.


A. I only
B. II only
C. III only
D. I and III only
E. I, II and III

In the product of 3 consecutive integers, there will ALWAYS be a multiple of 2 (as multiple of 2 repeats after every 2 integers; 0, 2, 4, . . . ) and a multiple of 3 ALWAYS (as multiple of 3 repeats after every 3 integers; 0, 3, 6, 9, . . . . )

So, if (a − 1)(a)(a + 1) is divisible by 2 and 3; its always divisible by 6

I - YES
II - NO (1*2*3, 2*3*4, 3*4*5, 4*5*6, 5*6*7, . . . . )
III - YES. It will be non-prime as (a − 1)(a)(a + 1) has more than 2 factors always.

IMO Option D
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What would happen if a=1 (+ve integer)

Then the wole term would be 0.

Thank you LeoN88!!!
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jfranciscocuencag
Bunuel LeoN88

What would happen if a=1 (+ve integer)

Then the wole term would be 0.

"which of the following must be true"
In these types of sums try to negate options that becomes false under particular situations/conditions.


Zero is divisible by 3. Infact zero is divisible by any number. jfranciscocuencag
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In case a = 1 then the product is 0. It is not divisible by 3. Please help
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Sanket05
In case a = 1 then the product is 0. It is not divisible by 3. Please help

Zero is divisible by 3, please get your basic right.

You have zero chocolate, you have to divide it among three children. How much will each get. Answer=0.
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