Is (N^x)-2N divisible by 3 ? a. x=3 b. N=5

Question

Is (N^x)-2N divisible by 3 ?
 a. x=3
 b. N=5

jcgoodchild · Answer

Statement 1: Insufficient, because we don't know anything about x

Statement 2: Insufficient. 5^2 - 10 = 15 which is divisible by 3, but 5^3 -10 = 115, which is not divisible by 3.

Answer is C.

Professor · Answer

seems C works.

from i, if n= 2,   is not divisible by 3. if n= 3,   is divisible by 3. 
from ii, if x= 2,   is divisible by 3. if x= 3,   is not divisible by 3. 


so C.

ywilfred · Answer

a) x = 3,

Then we have N^3 - 2N = N(N^2-2)

If n = 5, 5(25-2) --> Not divisible by 3
If n = 3, 3(7) --> Divisible by 3

Insufficient.

b) N = 5

Then we have 5^x -10
If x = 2, 5^x-10 = 15 ---> divisible by 3
If x = 3, 5^x-10 = 115 ---> not divisible by 3

Insufficient.

Using a) and b)

N^x-2N = 5^3-10 --> can decide if it's divible by 3 or not divisible by 3

Sufficient.

Ans C

laxieqv · Answer

hik, I'm sorry, everyone, the original question is like this: Is 5 (N^x)-2N divisible by 3 ? a. x=3 b. N=5 I'm really sorry for the error :oops:

allabout · Answer

Well, then it's A; nice construction.

5(N^x)-2N

statement 1)

5*N^3 - 2N 

Now we can plug in numbers:

5 - 2 = 3
40 - 4 = 36
135 - 6 = 129
320 - 8 = 312
625 - 10 = 615

sm176811 · Answer

I agree with the new eqn, it shud be A

kook44 · Answer

Is there a "rule" here? or just plugging numbers shows the pattern?

gmatacer · Answer

Answer is E

the result that i get by placing both N and X in the equation is not divisible by 3

gmatacer · Answer

the answer is C now that i read the thread and discovered that the posted question was wrong

A) X=3 => 5(3^3)-2N
45-2N.
Now, 45 is divisible by 3 but 2N?? huh ... N can be 1 so it makes indivisible
N=2 makes indivisible .. but N=3 makes it divisible(39) so I can't say from A

B) N=5 => 5(5^x)-10
5(5^x-2)
let take x = 1 => 5(5^1 - 2) => 13 not divisible by 3
x = 2 => 5(5^2 - 2) => 38 not divisible
x = 3 => not divisible
x= 4 => divisible!!

I can't really say from B as well !!

plugin both values of x and N i get 615 => Divisible!! so I need both conditions!!

gmatacer · Answer

Any other shortcut to deal with these kinda guys?? i take about 2 mins to solve such answers

Man o man .. I keen thinkin if my way of doing things is right?

vivek123 · Answer

C for first problem

& A for second problem

laxieqv · Answer

(1) x=3 ---> 5( N^3) - 2N = 3N^3 + 2N^3 - 2N 
We have: 3N^3 is divisible by 3, now consider 
2N^3-2N = 2 N( N-1) ( N+1) . The product of three consecutive number must be divisible by 3 ---> 2N^3- 2N is divisible by 3

---> 5 N^3 - 2N is divisible by 3 --> answer to the question : YES!
--->suff

(2) not suff as proved by others.

---> A it is.

BUT, it's the case in which N is integer. How's if N is not an integer?!!

Anyways, A is the OA.

shevy · Answer

Agree C for the first equation A for the second equation

chuckle · Answer

I too have the same question. What if N is not an integer?

hidalgo01 · Answer

laxieqv, you said that the product of 3 consecutive integers is always divisible by 3.
what if N=0 ?then we have (N-1)N(N+1)=0
if N=1, we have: (N-1)N(N+1)=0
If N=-1, which is also an integer, (N-1)N(N+1)=0

I know that the sum of 3 consecutive integers will always be divisible by 3, but it's not so obvious that the product of 3 consecutive integers will be too, unless we exclude the 0 among our consecutive integers.

ywilfred · Answer

That OA seems to assume N and x would take on integer values and not fractional. But nothing in the stem suggests that this should be the case....

Is (N^x)-2N divisible by 3 ? a. x=3 b. N=5

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