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Def. sleep deprived when I was doing the question :shock:
Sorry got thrown off by the negative integer thing..
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5 consecutive numbers means difference between first and the last integer = 4
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tejal777
If the average (arithmetic mean) of five consecutive negative integers is 2k – 1, what is the difference between the greatest and least of the five integers?
A)4
B)3
C)2
D)1
E)cannot be determined

We are asking for the range of the 5 consecutive integers. It’s a fact that the range of a set of n integers is always n - 1. For example, in the set of {2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7}, there are 6 consecutive integers, we see that the range is 7 - 2 = 5, which is 1 less than the number of consecutive integers. Therefore, in a set of 5 consecutive integers, whether they be positive or negative, the difference between the greatest and least integers, i.e., the range, is 4.

Answer: A
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tejal777
If the average (arithmetic mean) of five consecutive negative integers is 2k – 1, what is the difference between the greatest and least of the five integers?
A)4
B)3
C)2
D)1
E)cannot be determined

Let x = the 1st (smallest integer)
So, x+1 = the 2nd integer
x+2 = the 3rd integer
x+3 = the 4th integer
x+4 = the 5th integer (greatest integer)

What is the difference between the greatest and least of the five integers?
Difference = ( x+4) - x = 4

Answer: A

Cheers,
Brent
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tejal777
If the average (arithmetic mean) of five consecutive negative integers is 2k – 1, what is the difference between the greatest and least of the five integers?
A)4
B)3
C)2
D)1
E)cannot be determined


sum of 5 consective no
5a+10 = 10k-5
a= 2k-3
so largest no ; 4+2k-3
differnrence
4+2k-3-2k+3 = 4
IMO A
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Let's say A is the greatest number, B is the least number.
because they are five consecutive numbers, we can get(A+B)/2=2k-1, A+B=4k-2
Because they are negative integer, so A+B must be negative, we give K=-1, then A+B=-6, which means A=-1,B=-5
The difference between the greatest number and the least number is A-B=-1-(-5)=4
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tejal777
If the average (arithmetic mean) of five consecutive negative integers is 2k – 1, what is the difference between the greatest and least of the five integers?
A)4
B)3
C)2
D)1
E)cannot be determined

Let, The 5 numbers be \(( 2k – 3 ) , ( 2k – 2 ) , ( 2k – 1 ) , ( 2k ) , ( 2k + 1 )\)

( 2k + 1 ) - ( 2k - 3 ) = 4 , Answer must be (A)
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tejal777
If the average (arithmetic mean) of five consecutive negative integers is 2k – 1, what is the difference between the greatest and least of the five integers?
A)4
B)3
C)2
D)1
E)cannot be determined


The difference between the greatest and least of any five consecutive integers is 4, regardless whether the integers are positive or negative.

Answer: A
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tejal777
If the average (arithmetic mean) of five consecutive negative integers is 2k – 1, what is the difference between the greatest and least of the five integers?
A)4
B)3
C)2
D)1
E)cannot be determined


The difference between the greatest and least of any five consecutive integers is 4, regardless whether the integers are positive or negative.

Answer: A

Sir, if these numbers are like -1,-3,-5,-7 and -9, I did not see the range is 4, actually range is 8 here, How can we surely say like this ?
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Given that the average (arithmetic mean) of five consecutive negative integers is 2k – 1 and we need to find the difference between the greatest and least of the five integers

Let the five numbers be x-2, x-1, x , x+1, x+2

Difference between the highest and the lowest number = (x+2) - (X-2) = x + 2 - x + 2 = 4

So, Answer will be A.
Hope it helps!

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