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The question given below is a SAT sample question in Statistics. This particular question is that finding the largest term given the average or arithmetic mean of a set of terms.

Question

If the average of three distinct positive integers is 22, what is the largest possible value of these three integers?

1. 64
2. 63
3. 33
4. 42
5. 48

Correct answer is 42. Choice D.

Explanatory Answer

Let the three positive integers be a, b, and c such that c > b > a.
a + b + c = 66.

Because 'b', the median, has to be maximum, a and c should be minimum.
The least value possible for 'a' is 1.

1 + b + c = 66
or, b + c = 65

Since c > b, the maximum value of b = 32 (and c = 33).

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