Michael Schwartz

Tricky Data Sufficiency Questions: Answer Key

On Monday, we presented a series of tricky data sufficiency questions, to test whether or not you’re able to steer clear of all the traps.

Today, we present the answers to those questions, so that you can check your work. Over the next week or so, we will publish posts with in-depth explanations of how to arrive at the correct answer to each tricky data sufficiency practice question. Look for the links here:

 

Tricky Data Sufficiency Questions Answer Key

1. What is the value of x?

    (1) 5x + 3y = 15
    (2) y = 5 – (5/3)x

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient

Correct Answer: E

 

2. If y = 2(x + 1) what is the value of x + y?

    (1) x + (6/y) = 3
    (2) y = x + 2

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

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(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient

Correct Answer: B
 

3. If 2x = 2y – 3z, what is the value of z?

    (1) y = x + 2
    (2) x = y – 2

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient

Correct Answer: D
 

4. On each lab that René completed he received either 100 points or 85 points. On how many labs did he score 100 points?

    (1) René’s scores for his completed labs totaled 1140 points.
    (2) René completed a total of twelve labs.

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient

Correct Answer: A
 

5. What is the value of m+n?

    (1) mn = -8
    (2) -2m = n

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient

Correct Answer: E
 

6. If xy = 12, what is the value of xy?

    (1) x > y
    (2) x + y = 7

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient

Correct Answer: C
 

7. If p + q = 2r + 3, what is the value of p?

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    (1) pr = 6
    (2) r = (q/2) + 2

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient

Correct Answer: B
 

8. What is the value of x?

    (1) x – (4/y) = 2
    (2) x + 2y = 8

(A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

(B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

(C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

(D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

(E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient

Correct Answer: E

 

Come back tomorrow for the first two explanations.

 

Author

  • Michael Schwartz

    Michael Schwartz is really good at standardized tests. He’s earned multiple perfect scores on the GRE, GMAT, and LSAT. He’d rather have perfect pitch or be able to run low 1:40s for the 800 meters, but you take what you get. He has decades of teaching and curriculum-development experience. One of these days he might finish his dissertation and collect that Ph.D. in philosophy. Might.

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