Median Annual Salary

[jdciaravino]

Of the 13 employees in a certain department, 1 has an annual salary of 38,000, 2 have an annual salary of 45,000 each, 2 have an annual salary of 42,500 each, 3 have an annual salary of 40,000 each and 5 have an annual salary of 48,500 each. What is the median annual salary for the 13 employees?

1) 38,000
2) 40,000
3) 42,500
4) 45,000
5) 48,500

Answer isd

Well I was gonna write up how this was the hardest question I've seen(couldn't understand how I got it wrong), but then I realized I rushed through it at the end of my quant section on the GMATPrep software practice test(I was low on time). It's actually quite simple. Embarrassingly simple. I guess what you can take away is that odd number data sets always have an exact value in the middle of the data set. I had sped through this and averaged the 6th and 7th position values in the data set, which are 42,500 and 45,000 to reach a separate answer, its amazing how well the GMAT is at placing tempting answer choices in there especially at the end of the sections when they know people are rushing. Live and learn I guess, I was gonna just delete this post after I figured it out but I guess I'll leave it up for people to solve.

[vinodsundaram]

it's in questions like these, where you fall for the usual traps, you tend to learn the your lessons.

Great question to learn not to fall for traps.