Bunuel
If x and y are consecutive even integers, is x > y ?
(1) x - 2 and y + 2 are consecutive even integers.
(2) x is greater than 2.
Given: x and y are consecutive even integers So, for example it COULD be the case that x = 6 and y = 8 (i.e., x < y)
Alternatively, it could be the case that x = 8 and y = 6 (i.e., x > y)
Target question: Is x > y Statement 1: x - 2 and y + 2 are consecutive even integers. This automatically tells us that
x > y.
We know this because there are only
two possible cases: x < y and y > x (since the given information tells us that x and y are consecutive even integers)
If it were the case that x < y (e.g., x = 6 and y = 8), then subtracting 2 from x (the smaller value) and adding 2 to y (the bigger value) certainly won't yield two numbers that are consecutive even integers.
Since it's impossible for x < y, it must be the case that
x > y Since we can answer the
target question with certainty, statement 1 is SUFFICIENT
Statement 2: x is greater than 2Since we have no information about the value of y, statement 2 is NOT SUFFICIENT
Answer: A
Cheers,
Brent