The average number of students (per school) who failed in schools A, B C and E is approximately what percentage less than the number of students who passed without distinction in school D?

School     Total      Passed      Distinction      Without distinction     Failed
A             800            640             300                       340                       160
B            1050           840              350                       490                      210
C            1200           920              450                       470                      280
D             750            600              260                       340                      150
E             900            750              330                        420                     150
F            1500          1000             450                        550                     500


Using our collected data, we can easily calculate the average number of students who failed in A, B, C and E to be $$(160+210+280+150)/4=800/4=200$$
The number of students who passed without distinction is 340.

Ratio of these two values is $$\frac{200}{340}=0.588$$
Which means that the average number of students who failed in A, B, C and E is 41.176% smaller than the number of students who passed without distinction in D. 
This is approximately 41%. 

Therefore, Option A is the correct answer.