Problem 202

Solution 1
$(A+B) + (B+C) + (C+D) + (D+E) + (E+A) = 2(A+B+C+D+E)$ (i.e., each number is counted twice). The sum $A + B + C + D + E$ will always be $3 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 9 = 30$, so the arithmetic sequence has a sum of $2 \cdot 30 = 60$. The middle term must be the average of the five numbers, which is $\frac{60}{5} = 12 \Longrightarrow \mathrm{(D)}$.

Solution 2
Let the terms in the arithmetic sequence be $a$, $a + d$, $a + 2d$, $a + 3d$, and $a + 4d$. We seek the middle term $a + 2d$.
These five terms are $A + B$, $B + C$, $C + D$, $D + E$, and $E + A$, in some order. The numbers $A$, $B$, $C$, $D$, and $E$ are equal to 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9, in some order, so
$$A + B + C + D + E = 3 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 9 = 30.$$
Hence, the sum of the five terms is
$$(A + B) + (B + C) + (C + D) + (D + E) + (E + A) = 2A + 2B + 2C + 2D + 2E = 60.$$
But adding all five numbers, we also get $a + (a + d) + (a + 2d) + (a + 3d) + (a + 4d) = 5a + 10d$, so
$$5a + 10d = 60.$$
Dividing both sides by 5, we get $a + 2d = \boxed{12}$, which is the middle term. The answer is (D).

Solution 3
Not too bad with some logic and the awesome guess and check. Let $A=6$. Then let $B=7,E=5$ and $C=3,D=9$. Our arithmetic sequence is $10,11,12,13,14$ so our answer is $12 \Longrightarrow \mathrm{(D)}$.
Solution by franzliszt