Carcass wrote:
There are 9 consecutive integers in a certain sequence. If the average of the first seven integers in the sequence is n, what is the average of all 9 integers in the sequence?
A) n
B) n-1
C) n+1
D) 2n
E) n(n+1)
USEFUL RULE: In a set of EQUALLY SPACED numbers, the mean of the set equals the median of the setLet O, O, O, O, O, O, O, O, O represent the 9 consecutive integers listed in
ascending order.
The average (aka MEAN) of the first seven integers in the sequence is nHere are the first seven integers: O, O, O, O, O, O, O
Since consecutive integers are equally spaced, the mean = the median
The median of these 7 numbers is the middlemost number.
So, the middlemost value is also the mean.
We get: O, O, O, n, O, O, O
So, our NINE numbers now look like this: O, O, O, n, O, O, O, O, O
What is the average of all 9 integers in the sequence?Using the same logic, we can see that the mean of the 9 numbers is the middlemost number.
So, replace the middlemost number with a "
?" : O, O, O, n,
?, O, O, O, O
We can see that
? (the mean of all 9 integers) is
1 GREATER THAN n (the mean of the first 7 integers)
In other words, the mean of all 9 integers = n+1
Answer: C