Last visit was: 26 Apr 2024, 00:56 It is currently 26 Apr 2024, 00:56

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
SORT BY:
Kudos
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 04 Sep 2017
Posts: 318
Own Kudos [?]: 19739 [61]
Given Kudos: 50
Send PM
Most Helpful Reply
RC & DI Moderator
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Status:Math and DI Expert
Posts: 11178
Own Kudos [?]: 31935 [13]
Given Kudos: 290
Send PM
VP
VP
Joined: 31 Oct 2013
Posts: 1260
Own Kudos [?]: 1155 [5]
Given Kudos: 635
Concentration: Accounting, Finance
GPA: 3.68
WE:Analyst (Accounting)
Send PM
General Discussion
Manager
Manager
Joined: 20 Aug 2017
Posts: 96
Own Kudos [?]: 200 [0]
Given Kudos: 174
Send PM
Re: If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1 [#permalink]
gmatt1476 wrote:
If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1, and c + 2, is b a multiple of 24 ?

(1) b is a multiple of 8.
(2) c is odd.


DS85502.01


b = c(c+1)(c+2)
now if c = even, then c and (c+2) are even and b = 8k as the smallest positive even integer is 2 so c+2 = 4. and c+1 = 3.
and if c = odd, then c and (c+2) are odd and (c+1) = even.
So for c = even it will be a multiple of 24.
We need to check for the case c=odd.

Statement 1 -
b is a multiple of 8.
now, for c= even we already know that b = 8k, and it will be a multiple of 24.
we can check as well by taking a few cases (2,3,4), (4,5,6),(6,7,8) and so on.

and if c = odd and b is a multiple of 8 so it implies that c+1 = 8k.
The cases possible are (7,8,9), (15,16,17) and so on and we can see that all will be multiple of 24.

Sufficient.

Statement 2 -
As seen from above just knowing that c is odd doesn't make sure that it will be a multiple of 24.
For cases such as (7,8,9) b will be a multiple of 24
BUT
for cases such as (1,2,3), b will not be a multiple of 24.

Not sufficient.

IMO, Answer is A.
Manager
Manager
Joined: 22 Jun 2020
Posts: 59
Own Kudos [?]: 28 [0]
Given Kudos: 32
GMAT 1: 700 Q47 V40
Send PM
Re: If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1 [#permalink]
Prime factorization of 24: 2^3 * 3

(1) b is a multiple of 8.

Prime factorization of 8 is 2^3. If b is a multiple of 8, then b has to have 3 2's in it. This means that the absolute lowest possible number that b can be is is (2)(3)(4), which has 3 2's in it. All the numbers that satisfy the criteria of being the product of 3 consecutive numbers and are also multiples of 8, will also be multiples of 24. For instance: 4*5*6, 6*7*8, 7*8*9, etc. So statement 1 is sufficient.

(2) c is odd.

This doesn't tell us anything. If c = 1, then b = 1*2*3, which is not a multiple of 24. If c = 3, then b = 3*4*5, which is a multiple of 24. Not sufficient.

Answer is A.
Manager
Manager
Joined: 07 Apr 2018
Posts: 129
Own Kudos [?]: 23 [0]
Given Kudos: 251
Location: India
Concentration: Technology, Marketing
Send PM
Re: If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1 [#permalink]
Any three positive consecutive integer is multiple of 3 and there is one 2 for sure in three consecutive integers. All we need to know is b divisible by 8( 24 = 8 * 3)
Hence A is suff
We do not need value of c. From B value of B is not deductible

Posted from my mobile device
Director
Director
Joined: 09 Jan 2020
Posts: 966
Own Kudos [?]: 223 [0]
Given Kudos: 434
Location: United States
Send PM
Re: If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1 [#permalink]
In 3 consecutive integers there will be one integer that is a multiple of 3. Therefore c(c+1)(c+2) = multiple of 3.

The question rephrased: Is b a multiple of 8?

(1) Directly answers our question. SUFFICIENT.

(2) Knowing c is odd is not enough to conclude b = multiple of 8. INSUFFICIENT.

Answer is A.
Manager
Manager
Joined: 04 May 2016
Posts: 96
Own Kudos [?]: 29 [0]
Given Kudos: 10
Location: India
Schools: ISB '18 (A)
GMAT 1: 700 Q48 V37
GPA: 3.2
Send PM
Re: If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1 [#permalink]
1) SUFF since if it is a multiple of 8, the product will definitely be a multiple of 3 (because 3 consecutive integers)
Thus, ,3*8 = 24, so will always be of 24n format

2) INSUFF, just plug in numbers
if c is odd, means middle number is multiple of 2. But we need at least 2^3 for it to be 24n
Not all sequences satisfy that so no.
e.g. 15,16,17 will work
BUT 11,12,13 will NOT
Current Student
Joined: 20 Oct 2018
Posts: 43
Own Kudos [?]: 9 [0]
Given Kudos: 247
Location: United States
GPA: 3.5
Send PM
Re: If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1 [#permalink]
B = C(C+1)(C+2), and we want to know if B is a multiple of 24. B will only be a multiple of 24 if the product of C(C+1)(C+2) contains at least three factors of 2 (2^3) and at least one fact of 3 (3^1).

Statement one:

Since we're told that B is a multiple of 8 we can say that B = 8K in which K is integer. This means that 8K = C(C+1)(C+2) which we can further restate as K = C(C+1)(C+2) DIVIDED by 8.

Since K must be an integer then that means that 8 will divide into either of C, C+1, or C+2 evenly, and furthermore since the product of the three numbers is three consecutive integers there must also be a factor of 3 in K. So that means that K contains at least one factor of 3 and three factors of 2, sufficient.

Statement two:
C could be equal to 9 which would be not sufficient, or C could be equal to 7 which would be sufficient. So not sufficient alone.

A is the answer.
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Posts: 32679
Own Kudos [?]: 822 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1 [#permalink]
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
GMAT Club Bot
Re: If b is the product of three consecutive positive integers c, c + 1 [#permalink]
Moderator:
Math Expert
92918 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne