-
cubicle_bound_misfit
- Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 7:34 am
- Location: Texaco Gas Station
- Thanked: 7 times
I have an elimination based approach, here goes:
Let the pieces be a1, a2, a3, a4, a5.
We know that:
- n = 5
- Mean = 124
- a3 = 140
- a4, a5 are at least 140
- a1 + a2 + a3 + a4 + a5 = 124*5 = 620
- a1 + a2 + a4 + a5 = 620 - a3 = 480
First, strike off choices 130 and 140, otherwise mean can never be 124.
Now, consider a1 = 110.
This implies, a2 + a4 + a5 = 480 - a1 = 480 - 110 = 370.
If a4 and a5 are at least 140 each, then a4+a5 is at aleast 280.
This impiles, a2 is at most 370 - 280 = 90. This cannot be true since a1 is 110.
So strike off choice 110.
Now, consider a1 = 100.
This impiles a2 is at most 480 - 100 - 280 = 100.
This makes sense, as the Mean also checks out.
Perhaps someone can propose a better solution.
