Step 1: For x + y to be even, either both x and y are even, or both are odd.
Conclusion: Hence, x(y + 1) is always even.
The following empirical relationship describes how the number of trees \( N(t) \) in a patch changes over time \( t \): \[ N(t) = -2t^2 + 12t + 24 \] where \( t = 0 \) is when the number of trees were first counted. Given this relationship, the maximum number of trees that occur in the patch is