<p>Blue Book: question 19/738:</p>
<p>In a set of eleven different numbers, which of the following CANNOT affect the value of the median ?</p>
<p>A. Double each number
B. Increasing each bumber by 10
C. increasing the smallest number only
D. decreasing the largest number only
E. increasing the largest number only</p>
<p>I finally found out the answer, but it took too much time. Does anyone know a qicker way to solve it ? Thx in advance ;)</p>
<p>A and B are out immediately. Think about it. Adding or changing the numbers CHANGES the VALUE of the median. Ok lets have a set
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11
if we do a and b it cant work
if we do C still doesnt work
if we do D it doesnt work
Try E it works.</p>
<p>It would have to be E. A&B would have to change the value of the median. C&D might. E is the only one that cannot - does not matter what the numbers are. (this is assuming I remember the definition of median correctly after all these years :) )</p>
<p>Think about it intuitively. The largest number is the largest number, no matter if it's 50 or 50^50. It can't affect the median.</p>