Four packages have an average weight of 12.5 pounds. What is the minimum possible weight of the heaviest package in pounds if the median is 8 pounds?
Choose the correct choice from the following options.
A) 18 B) 20 C) 22 D) 24 E) 26
Let us denote the weights of the packages in pounds by a, b, c, d naming from the lightest one to the heaviest one. The median is 8 pounds. Therefore (b + c) / 2 = 8.   b + c = 16   The average is 12.5 pounds. Therefore (a + b + c + d) / 4 = 12.5.   a + (b + c) + d = 50   a + 16 + d = 50   a + d = 34   The weight a must be no greater than 8, since 8 is the median. Therefore the minimum possible weight of the heaviest package is 34 – 8 = 26 pounds (all the other packages would weigh 8 pounds in this case).   Answer: 26
<result>E</result>
Four packages have an average weight of 12.5 pounds. What is the minimum possible weight of the heaviest package in pounds if the median is 8 pounds?