Question #N882

The product of two positive integers is 48. The difference between the two integers is 2. What is the sum of the two integers?
A. 14
B. 16
C. 20
D. 26

Correct Answer is: D

Let the two integers be x and y. We are given that xy = 48 and x - y = 2. Solving for x in the second equation gives us x = y + 2. Substituting y + 2 for x in the first equation gives (y + 2)y = 48, or y^2 + 2y = 48. Subtracting 48 from both sides yields y^2 + 2y - 48 = 0. Factoring this equation gives (y + 8)(y - 6) = 0, which means y = -8 or y = 6. Since the integers are positive, y must equal 6. Substituting 6 for y in the equation x = y + 2 gives us x = 6 + 2, or x = 8. Therefore, the sum of the two integers is 8 + 6 = 14.