Question

One column of numbers consists of 28,42, and 14. When the digits of the numbers are added together, the result is 2+8+3+2+1+4+4=21, and when the digits of 21 are then added together, the end result is 2+1=3. If the same process is performed on the numbers in a second column, what can be concluded?

Answer 1

Answer:

D. If the end result from the second column is not 3, then the sum of the numbers in the first column is not equal to the sum of the numbers in the second column.

Explanation:

From the list of given options (see the comment section for options a - d), option (d) is correct.

To answer this question, we need to analyze each of the options

For (a):

The sum of numbers in both columns may be equal even if they are different.

Take for instance, the numbers in the second column is: 82, 42 and 14.

We have:

$8+2+4+2+1+4=21$

$2 + 1 = 3$

So, (a) is incorrect

For (b):

As shown in (a) above,  

If both column contain the same numbers, then definitely the end result will be the same. So option (b) is incorrect and impossible

For (c):

This is not true.

In the first column, we have the sum of the first process to be 21 which ends up giving 3 (i.e. 2 + 1 = 3).

The result of the second column can be 12 which also gives 3 i.e. 1 + 2 = 3 (and 12 is not equal to 21)

So, (c) is also incorrect

For (d):

This is the only true option

If the end result is not three, then the results of the first process is not the same for both columns.