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22 Nov 2025, 12:59
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45%
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In Area X, for three continuous days in a certain month of 2012, five planets - Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Venus - were all visible on the same day after dusk. Such an event only occurred once that year. Venus was visible on every day in April and May; Jupiter was visible on every day in April and on two days in May. Did the event occur in the period comprising April and May?
(1) In April in Area X, Jupiter and Venus were visible between dusk and midnight.
(2) In Area X, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn were all visible on the same day after dusk for three continuous days that were not in May.
(1) In April in Area X, Jupiter and Venus were visible between dusk and midnight.
(2) In Area X, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn were all visible on the same day after dusk for three continuous days that were not in May.
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12 Dec 2025, 05:06
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In Area X, for three continuous days in a certain month of 2012, five planets - Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, and Venus - were all visible on the same day after dusk. Such an event only occurred once that year. Venus was visible on every day in April and May; Jupiter was visible on every day in April and on two days in May. Did the event occur in the period comprising April and May?
So the question is simply asking: Did the 3 consecutive day five planet visibility event happen at some point during April or May?
It does not mean it has to span both months. It would count as “yes” even if all 3 days were in April, or all 3 days were in May, or it crossed from late April into early May.
(1) In April in Area X, Jupiter and Venus were visible between dusk and midnight.
In April, we already know Jupiter and Venus are visible every day after dusk. This statement adds a time window, but it gives no information about Mercury, Mars, and Saturn lining up for three straight days in April. Not sufficient.
(2) In Area X, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn were all visible on the same day after dusk for three continuous days that were not in May.
This says Mercury, Mars, and Saturn line up for three consecutive days, and that stretch is not in May. The five planet event cannot be in May anyway (Jupiter is visible only two days in May, so it cannot be part of a three day consecutive event within May). But the three day Mercury-Mars-Saturn stretch could be in April (then the answer is yes, because Jupiter and Venus are visible every day in April) or it could be in some other month (then the answer could be no). Not sufficient.
(1)+(2) Still does not tell whether that three day Mercury Mars Saturn stretch is in April. Not sufficient.
Answer: E.
So the question is simply asking: Did the 3 consecutive day five planet visibility event happen at some point during April or May?
It does not mean it has to span both months. It would count as “yes” even if all 3 days were in April, or all 3 days were in May, or it crossed from late April into early May.
(1) In April in Area X, Jupiter and Venus were visible between dusk and midnight.
In April, we already know Jupiter and Venus are visible every day after dusk. This statement adds a time window, but it gives no information about Mercury, Mars, and Saturn lining up for three straight days in April. Not sufficient.
(2) In Area X, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn were all visible on the same day after dusk for three continuous days that were not in May.
This says Mercury, Mars, and Saturn line up for three consecutive days, and that stretch is not in May. The five planet event cannot be in May anyway (Jupiter is visible only two days in May, so it cannot be part of a three day consecutive event within May). But the three day Mercury-Mars-Saturn stretch could be in April (then the answer is yes, because Jupiter and Venus are visible every day in April) or it could be in some other month (then the answer could be no). Not sufficient.
(1)+(2) Still does not tell whether that three day Mercury Mars Saturn stretch is in April. Not sufficient.
Answer: E.
General Discussion
23 Nov 2025, 11:37
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- Given facts:
- Venus: visible every day in April and May.
- Jupiter: visible every day in April and on two days in May.
- The five-planet event happened exactly once in 2012.
- The event requires “visible after dusk,” not just general visibility.
(1) In April in Area X, Jupiter and Venus were visible between dusk and midnight.
- only a timing qualification for Jupiter and Venus in April (after dusk, up to midnight).
- It says nothing about Mercury, Mars, or Saturn in April.
- Without those three, we cannot confirm the five-planet event occurred in April or May.
Conclusion: Statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
(2) Mercury, Mars, and Saturn were all visible on the same day after dusk for three continuous days that were not in May.
- This guarantees the “triple” (Mercury–Mars–Saturn) for three consecutive days outside May.
- Those three days could be in April, or in any other month (e.g., June).
- If they happened in April, then Venus and Jupiter were visible in April (from the prompt), potentially satisfying the five-planet condition; if they happened in another month, Venus/Jupiter visibility is unknown and the event may not occur then.
Conclusion: Statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Combining statements (1) and (2)
- If the triple occurred in April:
- From (1), Jupiter and Venus were visible after dusk in April.
- From (2), Mercury, Mars, and Saturn were visible after dusk for three consecutive days (not in May), which could be April.
- Thus, the event could have occurred in April, giving a “Yes.”
- If the triple occurred in a different month (not May):
- (1) says nothing about any month other than April.
- we cannot assert Venus or Jupiter were visible after dusk in that other month.
- The event could fail to occur there, giving a “No.”
Because the triple’s three-day run could be either in April (Yes) or in another month (No), even together the statements don’t pin down whether the unique event happened within April–May.
hence: E (Statements (1) and (2) together are not sufficient)
- Venus: visible every day in April and May.
- Jupiter: visible every day in April and on two days in May.
- The five-planet event happened exactly once in 2012.
- The event requires “visible after dusk,” not just general visibility.
(1) In April in Area X, Jupiter and Venus were visible between dusk and midnight.
- only a timing qualification for Jupiter and Venus in April (after dusk, up to midnight).
- It says nothing about Mercury, Mars, or Saturn in April.
- Without those three, we cannot confirm the five-planet event occurred in April or May.
Conclusion: Statement (1) alone is not sufficient.
(2) Mercury, Mars, and Saturn were all visible on the same day after dusk for three continuous days that were not in May.
- This guarantees the “triple” (Mercury–Mars–Saturn) for three consecutive days outside May.
- Those three days could be in April, or in any other month (e.g., June).
- If they happened in April, then Venus and Jupiter were visible in April (from the prompt), potentially satisfying the five-planet condition; if they happened in another month, Venus/Jupiter visibility is unknown and the event may not occur then.
Conclusion: Statement (2) alone is not sufficient.
Combining statements (1) and (2)
- If the triple occurred in April:
- From (1), Jupiter and Venus were visible after dusk in April.
- From (2), Mercury, Mars, and Saturn were visible after dusk for three consecutive days (not in May), which could be April.
- Thus, the event could have occurred in April, giving a “Yes.”
- If the triple occurred in a different month (not May):
- (1) says nothing about any month other than April.
- we cannot assert Venus or Jupiter were visible after dusk in that other month.
- The event could fail to occur there, giving a “No.”
Because the triple’s three-day run could be either in April (Yes) or in another month (No), even together the statements don’t pin down whether the unique event happened within April–May.
hence: E (Statements (1) and (2) together are not sufficient)
