MANHATTAN GMAT OFFICIAL SOLUTION:
Since the four integers in the set are distinct positive integers, give them distinct ordered
variables to represent their relative sizes: a, b, c, and d are the terms of set S, such that a < b < c < d.
The mean of S is \(\frac{(a+b+c+d)}{4}\). The median of S is the average of the two middle terms, \(\frac{(b+c)}{2}\) .
Express the question algebraically:
\(\frac{(a+b+c+d)}{4}\) = \(\frac{(b+c)}{2}\)
2(a + b + c + d) = 4(b + c)
(a + b + c + d) = 2(b + c)
a + b + c + d = 2b + 2
Is a + d = b + c?
In words, this question has been rephrased as, “Is the sum of the largest and smallest terms in S equal
to the sum of the two middle terms?”
(1) SUFFICIENT: If the smallest term is equal to the sum of the two middle terms minus the largest
term, then the question is satisfied:
a = b + c − d
a + d = b + c
The answer to the rephrased question is a definite “Yes.”
(2) SUFFICIENT: If the sum of the range of S and all the terms in S is equal to the smallest term in S
plus three times the largest term in S, then:
(d − a) + (a + b + c + d) = a + 3d
b + c + 2d = a + 3d
b + c = a + d
The answer to the rephrased question is a definite “Yes.”
The correct answer is (D).