Before looking at the statements, I’d ask: what do we actually need to find the average for all 50 students? Well... We need two things: we need is the sum of their scores and the number of students, but we already know the number of students (50), right?
The total sum of the scores is the sum of group A’s scores and the sum of group B’s scores. So we have:
Total average = (sum of group A’s scores + sum of group B’s scores) / 50
Notice that we don’t need to know each student’s individual score. If we can determine the combined total, that is enough.
If x is the number of students who took paper A. Then the remaining (50 - x) students took paper B. We don't need to add new variables.
Statement (1)The average for group A is 75, so the sum of that group’s scores is 75x. Remember:
Sum = Average × Number of students
But we don’t know the sum of group B’s scores. Even if we knew x, that missing information would prevent us from finding the total average. So, we can say that Statement (1) alone is insufficient.
Statement (2)The average for group B is 77, so the sum of that group’s scores is 77(50 - x).
This time, we don’t know the sum of group A’s scores. Statement (2) alone is also insufficient.
Now... Let's take
Statements (1) and (2) togetherNow we can express both groups’ totals:
Total average = [75x + 77(50 - x)] / 50, which is...
= (75x + (77)(50) - 77x) / 50, which is...
= ((77)(50) - 2x) / 50
= 77 - x/25
Have we determined the average? Not yet. We have an expression for it, but its value still depends on x, the number of students who took paper A. Neither statement tells us that number.
Simply put, I cannot get a value. Therefore, even together, the statements are insufficient. The answer is E.
I hope it's clear.