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# k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above?

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k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink]  05 Sep 2007, 07:41
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k, n, 12, 6, 17
What is the value of n in the list above?

(1) k < n
(2) The median of the numbers in the list is 10.

OPEN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION IS HERE: what-is-the-value-of-n-in-the-list-above-105889.html
[Reveal] Spoiler: OA

Last edited by Bunuel on 01 Mar 2015, 03:26, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink]  06 Dec 2010, 17:41
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ajit257 wrote:
k, n, 12, 6, 17
What is the value of n in the list above?

(1) k < n
(2) The median of the numbers in the list is 10.

I thought n have numerous value here ? Can someone explain where i am going wrong

Perfect example of how simple looking statistics questions can be a little tricky.

k, n, 12, 6, 17

Stmnt 1: k < n
No idea what n is. Not sufficient.

Stmnt 2: The median of the list is 10.
Since the list has 5 numbers i.e. odd number of numbers, the median must be the middle number i.e. the 3rd number when the numbers in the list are in increasing/decreasing order. Since 10 has to be a number in the list, either k or n has to be 10. But we do not know yet whether k is 10 or n is 10. So we don't know the value of n. Not sufficient.

Using both together, we know one of k and n is 10. We also know that k < n.
If k = 10, n is 10.1/11/12/13/14......etc etc etc
But then the list becomes: 6, k(10), n, 12, 17 (whatever be the arrangement of last 3 elements). k will not be the middle number in this case and hence 10 will not be the median.
If n = 10, k < 10 so the list will look something like:
6, k, n(10), 12, 17 ... Here 10 is the median. n must be 10. Hence, both together are sufficient.
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Get started with Veritas Prep GMAT On Demand for $199 Veritas Prep Reviews Director Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 570 Followers: 1 Kudos [?]: 16 [1] , given: 0 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 05 Sep 2007, 13:48 1 This post received KUDOS sidbidus wrote: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? (1) k < n (2) The median of the numbers in the list is 10. Vote for C 1 insuff 2 insuff both, let`s start with 2nd statement, it says median is 10, that means 12 and 17 must come after 10, thus three numbers must be 10, 12 and 17. {median by deffinition is the middle number, when the number of numbers is odd, 5 in this case}, so we have: (some number), 6, 10, 12,17 "some number" can be either n or k, "some number" must be less than 10. Since the 1st statement says that k<n, n is 10, and k is "some number"... SVP Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 1828 Location: New York Followers: 29 Kudos [?]: 553 [1] , given: 5 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 09:02 1 This post received KUDOS chan4312 wrote: x2suresh wrote: pmenon wrote: C for me. It cant be B since you can have 6,k,n,12,17 or 6,n,k,12,17. Considering both statements together you effectively rule out the second case since k<n. Therefore n=median=10 Yeap!! you are right.. for the second statment I combined both and answered B.. obvisiously it is C.. Oh!! God when will I stop the making care less mistakes.. OA is C. I still can not understand how did you assess the value of k to find the value of n. did you use your cognitive abilities to assess values..or do we have a formula to do it. How did you find that n is 10. median of x1,x2,x3,x4,x5 iss x3 ( when you arrange them in ascending order) We have six numbers given.. k, n, 12, 6, 17 (to find the median arrange then in ascending order) 6,12,17 ( we don't know where k and n com in this order) State 1) says k<n means k alsways comes before n. series can be.. k,n,6,12,17 k,6,12,17,n .... (you get more combinations).. State 2) median is 10 (that means middle numbe must be 10) __, __, 10,12,17 there are only two posibility with the above combinations 6,_,10,12,17 _,6,10,12,17 here other number_ must be k becaue k<n so 10 must be N. assume that 10 is k then k<n is contradicting. Hope this will help you. _________________ Your attitude determines your altitude Smiling wins more friends than frowning SVP Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 2134 Followers: 3 Kudos [?]: 99 [0], given: 0 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 05 Sep 2007, 07:52 Assuming that k and n are integers, st1 tells us nothing about a value. st2 gives us some info, but k can equal 10 and n equal 7 or vice versa. st1 and 2 combined tells us that n must be the median and 10. I'll go with C sidbidus wrote: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? (1) k < n (2) The median of the numbers in the list is 10. SVP Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 1828 Location: New York Followers: 29 Kudos [?]: 553 [0], given: 5 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 07:36 chan4312 wrote: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? (1) k < n (2) The median of the numbers in the list is 10. A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient. 1) insuffciient (two variables..) we don't the pattern 2) k, n, 12, 6, 17 re arrange in the ascending order.. following two combinations are possible. either way n is median.. so n=10 6 ,k, n, 12,17 k,6, n, 12,17 B is the answer _________________ Your attitude determines your altitude Smiling wins more friends than frowning SVP Joined: 28 Dec 2005 Posts: 1581 Followers: 2 Kudos [?]: 88 [0], given: 2 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 07:51 C for me. It cant be B since you can have 6,k,n,12,17 or 6,n,k,12,17. Considering both statements together you effectively rule out the second case since k<n. Therefore n=median=10 SVP Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 1828 Location: New York Followers: 29 Kudos [?]: 553 [0], given: 5 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 08:11 pmenon wrote: C for me. It cant be B since you can have 6,k,n,12,17 or 6,n,k,12,17. Considering both statements together you effectively rule out the second case since k<n. Therefore n=median=10 Yeap!! you are right.. for the second statment I combined both and answered B.. obvisiously it is C.. Oh!! God when will I stop the making care less mistakes.. _________________ Your attitude determines your altitude Smiling wins more friends than frowning Manager Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 159 Followers: 2 Kudos [?]: 24 [0], given: 0 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 08:30 x2suresh wrote: pmenon wrote: C for me. It cant be B since you can have 6,k,n,12,17 or 6,n,k,12,17. Considering both statements together you effectively rule out the second case since k<n. Therefore n=median=10 Yeap!! you are right.. for the second statment I combined both and answered B.. obvisiously it is C.. Oh!! God when will I stop the making care less mistakes.. OA is C. I still can not understand how did you assess the value of k to find the value of n. did you use your cognitive abilities to assess values..or do we have a formula to do it. How did you find that n is 10. Senior Manager Joined: 23 May 2006 Posts: 327 Followers: 2 Kudos [?]: 115 [0], given: 0 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 09:31 Guys good explanantion. There is one more way to do this problem S1. As mentioned it is a MAYBE case AD are out S2. Median is 10. Since there are five numbers in this series the average must also be 10. {6+12+17+(n+k)}/5 = 10 n+k = 15 Combine: Now we know that wither n or k is 10, but since k<n n = 10 IMO C Intern Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Posts: 34 Followers: 0 Kudos [?]: 0 [0], given: 0 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 11:04 x97agarwal wrote: Guys good explanantion. There is one more way to do this problem S1. As mentioned it is a MAYBE case AD are out S2. Median is 10. Since there are five numbers in this series the average must also be 10. {6+12+17+(n+k)}/5 = 10 n+k = 15 Combine: Now we know that wither n or k is 10, but since k<n n = 10 IMO C How do you know that average(arithmetic mean) must also be 10? List could be 6,7,10,12,17 (k=7, n=10, k<n) with an average(arithmetic mean) of 10.4. SVP Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 1828 Location: New York Followers: 29 Kudos [?]: 553 [0], given: 5 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 11:08 new2gmat wrote: x97agarwal wrote: Guys good explanantion. There is one more way to do this problem S1. As mentioned it is a MAYBE case AD are out S2. Median is 10. Since there are five numbers in this series the average must also be 10. {6+12+17+(n+k)}/5 = 10 n+k = 15 Combine: Now we know that wither n or k is 10, but since k<n n = 10 IMO C How do you know that average(arithmetic mean) must also be 10? List could be 6,7,10,12,17 (k=7, n=10, k<n) with an average(arithmetic mean) of 10.4. good point.. Its median=10 not the mean=10... So this approach is not correct. _________________ Your attitude determines your altitude Smiling wins more friends than frowning Retired Moderator Joined: 18 Jul 2008 Posts: 994 Followers: 10 Kudos [?]: 109 [0], given: 5 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 14:09 Mean = median in a series. We don't know that the numbers listed were a list of series. x97agarwal wrote: Guys good explanantion. There is one more way to do this problem S1. As mentioned it is a MAYBE case AD are out S2. Median is 10. Since there are five numbers in this series the average must also be 10. {6+12+17+(n+k)}/5 = 10 n+k = 15 Combine: Now we know that wither n or k is 10, but since k<n n = 10 IMO C VP Joined: 17 Jun 2008 Posts: 1404 Followers: 8 Kudos [?]: 154 [0], given: 0 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Aug 2008, 16:26 chan4312 wrote: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? (1) k < n (2) The median of the numbers in the list is 10. A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient. B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient. C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient. D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient. E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient. lets arrange the numbers in increasing order : 6 12 17 with k,n occurring anywhere hence consider (1) k < n --------> it does not help in finding n (2) median of numbers is 10 => k,n can occur anywhere hence either k or n can be 10 (1) & (2) cannot help since k <n does not say whether k=10 or n=10 INSUFFI IMO E _________________ cheers Its Now Or Never Senior Manager Joined: 28 Aug 2010 Posts: 265 Followers: 3 Kudos [?]: 188 [0], given: 11 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Dec 2010, 17:48 Karishma, Thanks a tonne. Awesome. I wasted a quite some time on this question. Could you please give some pointer as to how to deal with type of question in future. _________________ Verbal:new-to-the-verbal-forum-please-read-this-first-77546.html Math: new-to-the-math-forum-please-read-this-first-77764.html Gmat: everything-you-need-to-prepare-for-the-gmat-revised-77983.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ajit Veritas Prep GMAT Instructor Joined: 16 Oct 2010 Posts: 5585 Location: Pune, India Followers: 1383 Kudos [?]: 7044 [0], given: 182 Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink] 06 Dec 2010, 21:46 Expert's post ajit257 wrote: Karishma, Thanks a tonne. Awesome. I wasted a quite some time on this question. Could you please give some pointer as to how to deal with type of question in future. Practice some questions based on Median. Tag search for some on this forum itself. Median is the most time consuming to figure out in case of missing values or new values. Sometimes range can also be fun. If you get stuck somewhere, let me know... I intend to write a complete post on statistics concepts soon. Check out http://www.veritasprep.com/blog/ and search for 'Quarter Wit Quarter Wisdom' (That is the tag I use to put my posts.) Look for statistics post in the coming weeks. _________________ Karishma Veritas Prep | GMAT Instructor My Blog Get started with Veritas Prep GMAT On Demand for$199

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Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink]  07 Dec 2010, 23:22
wow very tricky. I selected the trap answer E by quickly coming to the conclusion that I couldn't tell even with both statements whether k or n was the median so would not N's value.
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Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink]  28 Feb 2015, 19:19
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Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above? [#permalink]  01 Mar 2015, 03:28
Expert's post
sidbidus wrote:
k, n, 12, 6, 17
What is the value of n in the list above?

(1) k < n
(2) The median of the numbers in the list is 10.

k, n, 12, 6, 17
What is the value of n in the list above?

Given list: {k, n, 6, 12, 17}

(1) k < n. Clearly insufficient.
(2) The median of the numbers in the list is 10 --> now, the list contains odd # of terms, thus its median is the middle term and since no other term is 10 then either n or k must be 10, but we don't know which one. Not sufficient.

(1)+(2) Since from (1) k<n then k=10=median is not possible, because in this case 3 terms will be greater than k (n, 12, and 17) and it won't be the middle term (it'll be the second term), for example {6, k=10, n, 12, 17}. Thus n must be 10. Sufficient.

OPEN DISCUSSION OF THIS QUESTION IS HERE: what-is-the-value-of-n-in-the-list-above-105889.html
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Re: k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above?   [#permalink] 01 Mar 2015, 03:28
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# k, n, 12, 6, 17 What is the value of n in the list above?

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