Peter’s brother Jack is now twice as old as was Tom was exactly five years ago. The positive difference between Tom’s and Jack’s ages is less than three.
Statements 1 and 2 are not sufficient to answer the question asked and additional data is needed to answer the statements.
Statement (1) is insufficient: Toms age ( T) is given in terms of a second variable we have no other information about. We can write it as an
equation for future reference:
J=2(T-5)
Statement (2) is also insufficient: not only does it relate Toms age to that second variable again, but only as an inequality, which is much less useful than an equation. It can be expressed algebraically as follows:
|T-J| < 3
Taken together, the two statements are still insuffcient. While two linear equations with the same two variables is enough to solve for the variables, the same thing doesn.t apply when one of the equations is replaced with an inequality, as it is in (2).
Choice (E) is correct.
Answer Anonymously
Copy Link
