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24 Nov 2025, 09:46
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C
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Difficulty:
65%
(hard)
Question Stats:
61% (02:11) correct
39%
(02:22)
wrong
based on 234
sessions
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Julian had five indoor potted plants, each of which - in order to survive - only needed to be watered once in a certain number of days. That number was not the same for all five plants. Julian last watered the plants - all of them - at noon on a Monday. He left home that Thursday and returned the following Thursday at noon. None of the plants were watered while Julian was away, and none of them died from any cause except lack of watering. At least one plant was alive when Julian returned. How many were alive in all?
(1) Exactly two plants were such that they would have survived only if Julian had watered them on the day he left home.
(2) Three plants were identical in terms of watering needs.
(1) Exactly two plants were such that they would have survived only if Julian had watered them on the day he left home.
(2) Three plants were identical in terms of watering needs.
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24 Nov 2025, 10:18
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Julian had five indoor potted plants, each of which - in order to survive - only needed to be watered once in a certain number of days. That number was not the same for all five plants. Julian last watered the plants - all of them - at noon on a Monday. He left home that Thursday and returned the following Thursday at noon. None of the plants were watered while Julian was away, and none of them died from any cause except lack of watering. At least one plant was alive when Julian returned. How many were alive in all?
We know that Julian watered the plants at noon on Monday and then left on Thursday for one week. We are also told that at least one plant survived his absence. Our task is to determine exactly how many plants survived.
(1) Exactly two plants were such that they would have survived only if Julian had watered them on the day he left home.
The statement tells us that two plants would have survived only if they were watered on Thursday. This implies that these two plants did not survive Julian's absence, as they were not watered on the day he left. However, there could be other plants, say one additional plant, that also couldn't have survived the absence because it required watering even more frequently than these two. It's also possible that only these two plants did not survive and the other three did. Not sufficient.
(2) Three plants were identical in terms of watering needs.
If the three identical plants include the one that survived, then at least three plants would have survived. However, we do not know how many plants actually survived, as it’s possible that two other plants needed even less frequent watering and could have survived as well. Not sufficient.
(1)+(2) The three plants with identical watering needs from (2) could not include the two plants that died from (1), because we are told exactly two plants had that specific need. Therefore, the three identical plants must include the one that survived, and thus all three of these plants survived. Sufficient.
Answer: C.
We know that Julian watered the plants at noon on Monday and then left on Thursday for one week. We are also told that at least one plant survived his absence. Our task is to determine exactly how many plants survived.
(1) Exactly two plants were such that they would have survived only if Julian had watered them on the day he left home.
The statement tells us that two plants would have survived only if they were watered on Thursday. This implies that these two plants did not survive Julian's absence, as they were not watered on the day he left. However, there could be other plants, say one additional plant, that also couldn't have survived the absence because it required watering even more frequently than these two. It's also possible that only these two plants did not survive and the other three did. Not sufficient.
(2) Three plants were identical in terms of watering needs.
If the three identical plants include the one that survived, then at least three plants would have survived. However, we do not know how many plants actually survived, as it’s possible that two other plants needed even less frequent watering and could have survived as well. Not sufficient.
(1)+(2) The three plants with identical watering needs from (2) could not include the two plants that died from (1), because we are told exactly two plants had that specific need. Therefore, the three identical plants must include the one that survived, and thus all three of these plants survived. Sufficient.
Answer: C.
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