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The median of a set of 5 unknown numbers is 8. 2 is added to the smallest number in the set to make a new set of 5 numbers, but the median of the new set is still 8. Give an example of a set of numbers for which this holds true. Explain your answer.

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Let's call the set of 5 unknown numbers a, b, c, d, and e. We know that the median of this set is 8.

We can consider two cases:

Case 1: The smallest number in the set is less than or equal to 6.

If the smallest number in the set is less than or equal to 6, then adding 2 to it will give us a number less than or equal to 8. In this case, the median of the new set will still be 8.

For example, let's say that a = 4, b = 6, c = 8, d = 10, and e = 12. The median of this set is 8. If we add 2 to the smallest number (a), we get a new set of 5 numbers:

a' = 6, b = 6, c = 8, d = 10, and e = 12.

The median of this set is still 8.

Case 2: The smallest number in the set is greater than 6.

If the smallest number in the set is greater than 6, then adding 2 to it will give us a number greater than 8. In this case, the median of the new set will be greater than 8.

For example, let's say that a = 7, b = 8, c = 9, d = 10, and e = 11. The median of this set is 9. If we add 2 to the smallest number (a), we get a new set of 5 numbers:

a' = 9, b = 8, c = 9, d = 10, and e = 11.

The median of this set is 9, which is greater than 8.

Therefore, an example of a set of numbers for which adding 2 to the smallest number in the set does not change the median is a = 4, b = 6, c = 8, d = 10, and e = 12.
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User Nikolay Mihaylov
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