Step 1 & 2: Understand Question and Draw Inference
- Let R = 100a + 10b + c, where a, b and c are digits and a is non-zero (because if a is zero then R would be a 2-digit number)
- Let S = 100d + 10e + f, where d, e and f are digits and d is non-zero (because if d is zero then S would be a 2-digit number)
To find: The quotient when R + S is divided by 1000
- Now, R + S = 100(a+d) + 10(b+e) + (c+f)
- There are 2 possibilities – either the sum R + S will also be a 3-digit number (the case of n0 carry-over at the hundreds digit) or the sum R + S will be a 4-digit number (the case of carry–over at the hundreds digit). Let’s consider both these cases one-by-one:
- Case 1: The case of no carry-over
- The sum R+S is a 3-digit number which is divided by 1000 (for example, think of 900 or 990 being divided by 1000)
- In this case, the quotient when R+S is divided by 1000 is zero.
- Case 2: The case of carry-over
- The sum R+S is a 4-digit number here which is divided by 1000 (for example, think of 1800 or 1980 being divided by 1000)
- The quotient in this case will be 1
- If you’re wondering if the quotient can be greater than 1 in this case, the answer is, No it cannot be. The maximum value of any digit is 9. So, the maximum sum of 2 digits can be 18 (8 stays at the place of the digit and 1 gets carried over). So, the maximum carry-over that can happen when 2 digits are added, is 1.
- So, to answer the question, we need to determine if there is a carry-over at the hundreds digit or not.
Step 3 : Analyze Statement 1 independent
The hundreds digit of the sum of R and S is less than the sum of the hundreds digits of R and S.
There are 4 possible cases for the hundreds digit of R+S:
Case A: There is no carry-over into the hundreds digit and there is no carry-over at the hundreds digit
Example: 1 2 3
+ 2 3 4
In this example, R + S = 357
So, (hundreds digit of R+S) = 3
And (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S) = 1 + 2 = 3
In this case, (hundreds digit of R+S) = (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S)
Case B: There is no carry-over into the hundreds digit but there is carry-over happening AT the hundreds digit
Example: 9 2 3
+ 1 3 4
In this example, R + S = 1057
So, (hundreds digit of R+S) = 0
But (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S) = 9 + 1 = 10
So, here, (hundreds digit of R+S) < (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S)
Case C: There is carry-over into the hundreds digit and there is no carry-over AT the hundreds digit
Example: 7 9 4
+ 1 2 2
In this example, R + S = 916
So, (hundreds digit of R + S) = 9
Whereas, (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S) = 7 + 1 = 8
In this case, (hundreds digit of R+S) > (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S)
Case D: There is carry-over into the hundreds digit and there is carry-over happening AT the hundreds digit
Example 1: 6 9 4
+ 3 2 1
In this example, R + S = 1015
So, (hundreds digit of R + S) = 0
Whereas, (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S) = 6 + 3 = 9
Here, (hundreds digit of R+S) < (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S)
Example 2: 8 9 4
+ 7 2 1
In this example, R + S = 1615
So, (hundreds digit of R + S) = 6
Whereas, (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S) = 15
Here too, (hundreds digit of R+S) < (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S)
Therefore, we notice that in all the cases where Statement 1 is satisfied, that is the cases where (hundreds digit of R+S) < (hundreds digit of R) + (hundreds digit of S), there is carry-over is happening at the hundreds digit. Therefore, we can be sure that Case 2 discussed in ‘Steps 1 and 2’ is applicable. So, the quotient when R + S is divided by 1000 is 1.
Since we get a unique answer from this Statement, Statement 1 is sufficient to answer the question.
Step 4 : Analyze Statement 2 independent
When the R, rounded to the nearest hundreds, is added to S, rounded to the nearest hundreds, the result is 1000.
- R = 100a + 10b + c
- The result of rounding R to the nearest hundreds is:
- Either 100a
- Happens when the digit to the right of a, that is b, is less than 5
- Or 100(a+1)
- S = 100d + 10e + f
- The result of rounding S to the nearest hundreds is:
- As per Statement 2, (Result of rounding R to hundreds) + (Result of rounding S to hundreds) = 1000
- So, the following cases are possible:
- Case 1: 100a + 100d = 1000
- That is, a + d = 10
- So, in this case, carry-over will happen (in the sum R + S) into the thousands digit.
- Therefore, the quotient in this case will be 1
- Case 2: 100a + 100(d+1) = 1000
- That is, a + d + 1 = 10
- So, a + d = 9
- In this case, carry-over into the thousands digit may or may not happen in the sum R + S (depending on the value of b + e)
- For example, in the sum of 712 + 213, carry-over doesn’t happen into the thousands digit.
- However, in the sum of 782 + 293, carry-over does happen into the thousands digit. This is because the sum of the tens digit (8 + 9) results in a carry-over into the hundreds digit first, therefore, making the sum of the hundreds digit equal to 7 + 2 + 1, that is, 10. The 0 stays at the hundreds place and the 1 gets carried over into the thousands digit.
- So, the quotient may be 0 or 1.
- Case 3: 100(a+1) + 100d = 1000
- That is, a + d = 9
- This is the same equation as the one obtained in Case 2 above.
- So, here too, we may get either 0 or 1 as the quotient.
- Case 4: 100(a+1) + 100(d+1) = 1000
- That is, a + d + 2 = 10
- So, a + d = 8
- As we’ve discussed above, the maximum carry-over that may happen into the hundreds (or any digit for that matter) digit is 1. Even if a carried-over 1 is added to the sum of a + d, the new sum of a + d will still be 9 only. So, there will be no carry-over into the thousands digit.
- So, the quotient in this case will be 0
Thus, we’ve seen that from Statement 2, the value of the quotient may be 0 or 1.
So, Statement 2 is not sufficient to get a unique value of the quotient.
Step 5: Analyze Both Statements Together (if needed)
Since we’ve got a unique answer in Step 3, this step is not required
Answer: Option A