A set of five positive integers has an arithmetic mean of 150. A parti

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

Let’s assume that the 5 natural numbers in increasing order are: a, b, b, b, a+100

We are given that a < b < a+100.

Also, we are given that a and b are positive integers. This information is critical – we will see later why.

The average of the 5 numbers is (a+b+b+b+a+100)/5 = 150

(a+b+b+b+a+100) = 5*150

2a+3b = 650

We need to find the number of distinct values that a can take because a+100 will also take the same number of distinct values.

Now there are two methods to proceed. Let’s discuss both of them.

Method 1: Pure Algebra – Write b in terms of a and plug it in the inequality

b = (650 – 2a)/3

a < (650 – 2a)/3 < a+100

3a < 650 – 2a < 3a + 300

Now split it into two inequalities: 3a < 650 – 2a and 650 – 2a < 3a + 300

Inequality 1: 3a < 650 – 2a

5a < 650

a < 130

Inequality 2: 650 – 2a < 3a + 300

5a > 350

a > 70

So we get that 70 < a < 130. Since a is an integer, can we say that a can take all values from 71 to 129? No. What we are forgetting is that b is also an integer. We know that

b = (650 – 2a)/3

For which values will be get b as an integer? Note that 650 is not divisible by 3. You need to add 1 to it or subtract 2 out of it to make it divisible by 3. So a should be of the form 3x+1.

b = (650 – 2*(3x+1))/3 = (648 – 6x)/3 = 216 – 2x

Here, for any positive integer x, b will be an integer.

From 71 to 129, we have the following numbers which are of the form 3x+1:

73, 76, 79, 82, 85, … 127

This is an Arithmetic Progression. How many terms are there here?

Last term = First term + (n – 1)*Common Difference

127 = 73 + (n – 1)*3

n = 19

a will take 19 distinct values so the last term i.e. (a+100) will also take 19 distinct values.

Method 2: Using Transition Points

Note that a < b < a+100

Since a < b, let’s find the point where a = b, i.e. the transition point

2a + 3a = 650

a = 130 = b

But b must be greater than a. If we increase b by 1, we need to decrease a by 3 to keep the average same. But decreasing a by 3 decreases the largest number i.e. a+100 by 3 too; so we need to increase b by another 1.

We get a = 127 and b = 132. This give us the numbers as 127, 132, 132, 132, 227. Here the average is 150

Since b < a+100, let’s find the point where b = a+100

2a + 3(a+100) = 650

a = 70, b = 170

But b must be less than a+100. If we decrease b by 1, we need to increase a by 3 to keep the average same. But increasing a by 3 increases the largest number, i.e. a+100 by 3 too, so we need to decrease b by another 1.

We get a = 73 and b = 168. This gives us the numbers as 73, 168, 168, 168, 173. Here the average is 150

Values of a will be: 73, 76, 79, ….127 (Difference of 3 to make b an integer)

This is an Arithmetic Progression.

Last term = First term + (n – 1)*Common difference

127 = 73 + (n – 1)*3

n = 19

a will take 19 distinct values so the last term i.e. (a+100) will also take 19 distinct values.

Answer (B)