Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 08:07 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 08:07
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,389
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,389
Kudos: 778,263
 [37]
5
Kudos
Add Kudos
32
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,389
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,389
Kudos: 778,263
 [15]
9
Kudos
Add Kudos
6
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
chetan2u
User avatar
GMAT Expert
Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Last visit: 15 Nov 2025
Posts: 11,238
Own Kudos:
43,703
 [1]
Given Kudos: 335
Status:Math and DI Expert
Location: India
Concentration: Human Resources, General Management
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT Focus 1: 735 Q90 V89 DI81
Posts: 11,238
Kudos: 43,703
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
TeamGMATIFY
Joined: 20 Aug 2015
Last visit: 31 Oct 2016
Posts: 339
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 10
Location: India
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V44
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V44
Posts: 339
Kudos: 1,504
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
What is the value of x?

(1) (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)

(2) x is odd

Kudos for a correct solution.

This is classic question in which you can be trapped easily.
The questions seems easy but there is a little catch involved here.

Statement 1: (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)
If directly seems that the equation means x = 2013 and (x + 1) 2014
But x can be - 2014 and (x+1) can be - 2013
Hence x has two values.
INSUFFICIENT

Statement 2: x is odd.
This in itself does not tell us anything.

Combining statement 1 and 2:
We are left with just one value of x: 2013
SUFFICIENT

Option C
User avatar
0akshay0
Joined: 19 Apr 2016
Last visit: 14 Jul 2019
Posts: 192
Own Kudos:
647
 [1]
Given Kudos: 59
Location: India
GMAT 1: 570 Q48 V22
GMAT 2: 640 Q49 V28
GPA: 3.5
WE:Web Development (Computer Software)
GMAT 2: 640 Q49 V28
Posts: 192
Kudos: 647
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
Bunuel
What is the value of x?

(1) (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)

(2) x is odd

Kudos for a correct solution.

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

C. This problem is a classic example of the "Why Are You Here" strategy. Clearly statement 2 is not sufficient on its own, so why was it written?

In statement 1, the "obvious" answer for x is that x = 2013 and (x + 1) would then equal 2014. Which looks pretty sufficient. But there's one additional, not as obvious possibility: x = -2014 and (x + 1) = -2013. Since negative-times-negative is positive, that would give the same result. So statement 1 looks pretty sufficient but it is not. Statement 2 provides that little clue by emphatically stating that x is odd. That should get you thinking "how could x not be odd?" and of course that would be if x were -2014 and x + 1 were -2013. With both statements together, that negative-negative possibility is off the table, so the correct answer is C.


This link help will help one understand the "Why Are You Here" strategy https://youtu.be/eY_MIpioA8M :)
User avatar
analytica233
Joined: 04 Aug 2019
Last visit: 15 Nov 2022
Posts: 62
Own Kudos:
87
 [1]
Given Kudos: 745
Location: Viet Nam
Concentration: Organizational Behavior, Strategy
Schools: Desautels '23
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V42
WE:Research (Other)
Products:
Schools: Desautels '23
GMAT 1: 740 Q49 V42
Posts: 62
Kudos: 87
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
What is the value of x?

(1) (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)

(2) x is odd

Kudos for a correct solution.

x = ?

(1) x(x + 1) = 2013.2014 <=> x^2 + x - 2013.2014 = 0 <=> (x + 2014)(x - 2013) = 0 --> x = -2014 or x = 2013. Insufficient.
(2) x is odd. x can be any odd number. Insufficient.

(1) + (2) --> x = 2013. Sufficient. Answer (C).
User avatar
lakshya14
Joined: 31 Jan 2019
Last visit: 27 Jul 2022
Posts: 360
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 529
Posts: 360
Kudos: 45
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
Bunuel
What is the value of x?

(1) (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)

(2) x is odd

Kudos for a correct solution.

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

C. This problem is a classic example of the "Why Are You Here" strategy. Clearly statement 2 is not sufficient on its own, so why was it written?

In statement 1, the "obvious" answer for x is that x = 2013 and (x + 1) would then equal 2014. Which looks pretty sufficient. But there's one additional, not as obvious possibility: x = -2014 and (x + 1) = -2013. Since negative-times-negative is positive, that would give the same result. So statement 1 looks pretty sufficient but it is not. Statement 2 provides that little clue by emphatically stating that x is odd. That should get you thinking "how could x not be odd?" and of course that would be if x were -2014 and x + 1 were -2013. With both statements together, that negative-negative possibility is off the table, so the correct answer is C.

Hi, what if I prime factorize 2013 = 3 x 671 and multiply either of the values in 2014, lets say 3.
Then it becomes, 671(2014x3 + 3),
= 671(6045)
= 671(60444 + 1)
Then, similarly with retaining 3 only as both are odd, will give 2 values of x.
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 19 Nov 2025
Posts: 105,389
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 99,977
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 105,389
Kudos: 778,263
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
lakshya14
Bunuel
Bunuel
What is the value of x?

(1) (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)

(2) x is odd

Kudos for a correct solution.

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

C. This problem is a classic example of the "Why Are You Here" strategy. Clearly statement 2 is not sufficient on its own, so why was it written?

In statement 1, the "obvious" answer for x is that x = 2013 and (x + 1) would then equal 2014. Which looks pretty sufficient. But there's one additional, not as obvious possibility: x = -2014 and (x + 1) = -2013. Since negative-times-negative is positive, that would give the same result. So statement 1 looks pretty sufficient but it is not. Statement 2 provides that little clue by emphatically stating that x is odd. That should get you thinking "how could x not be odd?" and of course that would be if x were -2014 and x + 1 were -2013. With both statements together, that negative-negative possibility is off the table, so the correct answer is C.

Hi, what if I prime factorize 2013 = 3 x 671 and multiply either of the values in 2014, lets say 3.
Then it becomes, 671(2014x3 + 3),
= 671(6045)
= 671(60444 + 1)
Then, similarly with retaining 3 only as both are odd, will give 2 values of x.

What are two odd values of x which satisfy (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)?

(x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014) has two solutions for x, one is even (x = -2014) and another is odd (x = 2013).
User avatar
BrentGMATPrepNow
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 12 Sep 2015
Last visit: 31 Oct 2025
Posts: 6,739
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 799
Location: Canada
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 6,739
Kudos: 35,342
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Bunuel
What is the value of x?

(1) (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)

(2) x is odd

Kudos for a correct solution.

Target question: What is the value of x?

Statement 1: (x)(x + 1) = (2013)(2014)
At first glance, statement 1 looks sufficient. However, there are two possible values of x:
Case a: x = 2013 and x+1 = 2014. In this case, the answer to the target question is x = 2013
Case b: x = -2014 and x+1 = -2013. In this case, the answer to the target question is x = -2014
Since we can’t answer the target question with certainty, statement 1 is NOT SUFFICIENT

Statement 2: x is odd
Definitely NOT SUFFICIENT

Statements 1 and 2 combined
Statement 1 indirectly tells us that EITHER x = 2013 OR x = -2014
Statement 2 tells us that x is odd
In order for both statements to be true, it must be the case that x = 2013
Since we can answer the target question with certainty, the combined statements are SUFFICIENT

Answer: C
User avatar
bumpbot
User avatar
Non-Human User
Joined: 09 Sep 2013
Last visit: 04 Jan 2021
Posts: 38,588
Own Kudos:
Posts: 38,588
Kudos: 1,079
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello from the GMAT Club BumpBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.
Moderators:
Math Expert
105389 posts
496 posts