The two-digit positive integer s is the sum of the two-digit positive
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Updated on: 20 May 2018, 08:25
Pls Note: This is the solution from Manhattan Advanced Quant book which has been slightly modified by me for simpler and better understanding.
Try out a few randomly-chosen numbers to help you understand the question.
If m = 10 and n = 10, then s = 20 and the units digits of m and s are equal.
If m = 11 and n = 12, then s = 23 and the units digit of s is greater than the units digit of m.
If m = 19 and n = 11, then s = 30 and the units digit of s is less than the units digit of m.
Basically, if the units digits of m and n are zero, then
the units digit of s will be equal to the units digit of m (and of n), i.e. zero.
If the units digits are very small i.e. say one is 5 or less and other is 4 or less and vice versa then the units digit of s is or greater than both m and n.
On the other hand, if the units digits of m and n are large enough to cause you to “carry over” a 1 to
the tens digit, then the units digit of s will end up being smaller than the units digit of m (and of n).
So the important point to note is will there be an aforesaid "carry over"? lets analyze these two statements in this context:-
(1) SUFFICIENT: If the units digit of s is definitely less than the units digits of one of the smaller
numbers, then the “carry over” situation must apply, in which case the units digits of both m and n
must be larger than the units digit of s.
(2) SUFFICIENT: There are only two ways in which the tens digit will not equal the tens digits of the
two smaller numbers:
Case 1: The tens digits of the two smaller numbers result in a number that needs to carry over into the
hundreds digit. This is impossible for this problem because s is also a two-digit number.
Case 2: The units digits of the two smaller numbers result in a number that carries over into the tens
digit. This must be what is happening in this case. If so, then the units digit of the larger number, s,
must be smaller than the units digits of the two smaller numbers, m and n.
The correct answer is (D).