If xy = 7, what is xy(x + y)^2 ?(1) x^2 + y^2 = 3(2) x^2 = 1I originally marked (2) is sufficient. But I overlooked a very simple point that I realized later after finding out I marked the wrong answer. You can probably guess why 1 is sufficient. if I know the value of x^2 + y^2 and if I know the value of xy, then I can easily find out the value of (x+y)^2 (Yes, I missed this... I'm capable of being blind to what's in front of me...I am trying to change that)
Why is (2) alone sufficient? If I know x^2 is 1, then either x is 1 or -1. if xy is positive (7), that means either both x and y are negative or both x and y are positive.
x----------y--------xy
(1)-------(7)-------7
(-1)------(-7)------7
if x and y are of the same sign, (x + y)^2 in both cases (x and y both positive, or x and y both negative) will have the same value. I already know what xy is. so I am easily getting a unique value for xy(x + y)^2
So each statement taken independently is sufficient