Hello.
Look at the arrangement:
a,b,c,11,d,e,f
Now last value is 10 + Smallest value.
When u take 17 as largest value, 7 is the smallest value.
Now to make the highest value as high as possible you need to maximize the deviation.
What I mean by deviation? Its just the difference in value from the mean.
Now when u indeed take 17:
7,b,c,11,d,e,17
How can u maximize the deviation to the left? By taking the next integers from 7. Why? So the deviation is the maximum from 12 which is our average!
At the end of the day we need the sum to be 12*7 or any value above 12 should be matched by an equal value less than 12.
So in this case to maximize deviation left side of median we take:
7,8,9,11,d,e,f.
What is the deviation? 12-7 + 12-8 + 12-9 = 5+4+3 = 12. [Actually its better to take the deviation of 11 as well since its 1 less than 12, then it is 12+1=13.]
For f to be maximum we also need to max the values of d,e close to the mean itself.
Keep d,e, as 12,13
Thus
7,8,9,11,12,13,17 is our sequence
Deviation from mean on left including 11 = 13 and right side of our mean = 1+5 = 6
Clearly 17 is not "max" enough like you can see.
Take 18 with same rules:
8,9,10,11,12,13,18
What you now see is left side deviation with mean of:
4+3+2+1 = 10
Right side:
1+6=7
Can u increase to 19 now?
It is funny because unique values wont even fit in.
Hope it helps.
salphonso
Can you please explain this concept / point to someplace I can understand this?
If you take 17. Then deviation to the right would be 1+5 = 6And when we have 7 as our first number we easily see that deviation more than covers it like 5+4+3.. >> 6So now try 18.Deviation = 1+6 = 7Smallest number = 8Deviation to the left = 4+3+2 Also covers it completely.