CAT 2022 Slot 3 QA Question & Solution
ArithmeticMedium
Question
Consider six distinct natural numbers such that the average of the two smallest numbers is 14, and the average of the two largest numbers is 28. Then, the maximum possible value of the average of these six numbers is
Options
23
24
23.5
22.5
Solution
Let the six numbers be a, b, c, d, e, f in ascending order
a+b = 28
e+f = 56
If we want to maximise the average then we have to maximise the value of c and d and maximise e and minimise f
e+f = 56
As e and f are distinct natural numbers so possible values are 27 and 29
Therefore c and d will be 25 and 26 respecitively
So average = $\frac{\left(a+b+c+d+e+f\right)}{6}=\frac{\left(28+25+26+56\right)}{6}=\frac{135}{6}=22.5$