Farina wrote:
Positive integer n is equal to the difference of the squares of x and y, where x and y are integers. If n is equal to 21, then which of the following could be the sum of x and y?
A. 0
B. 11
C. -1
D. -11
E. 121
n= x2 - y2 (or y2-x2 but it wont make a difference in this case)
x2-y2 = (x-y)(x+y)
21= (x-y)(x+y)
x-y and x+y must be integers (since x and y are integers)
therefore,
21/(x+y) must produce an integer
only possible value for x+y to produce an integer from the given choices is: x+y=-1