Suppose that
is an integer. Which of the following statements must be true about ?
Problem 1258
Pick one
Official solution
1. Start with the given expression:
2. Find a common denominator to combine the fractions. The least common multiple of 3 and 6 is 6:
So the expression becomes:
3. Combine the fractions:
4. Simplify the fraction:
5. For to be an integer, must be even. This is because dividing an even number by 2 results in an integer.
6. Therefore, must be even. There is no requirement for to be negative, a multiple of 3, 6, or 12.
Conclusion:
The correct statement about is that it is even, but not necessarily a multiple of 3, 6, or 12.
The final answer is