Averages An average in mathematical terms is an arithmetic mean. It is the sum of n diffe rent terms divided by n.

If a student scores 7, 6 and 8 in three different tests, each of ten marks, then his average score will be (7+6+8)/2. So we can use this general formula: Average= Total of the Data/ Number of Data Elements. From this formula we can cross multiply and we get another formula Total= Average*No. of Data Elements These are the two main formulae which will be used under this topic. A few illus trations have been given below. 1. The average weight of ten students is increased by 1.8 kg when one student we ighing 53 kg is replaced by a new student. Find the weight of the new student.If we assume the sum of the weights of the other nine students to be x then the ea rlier average would have been (x + 53) / 10,Since the weight of those nine stude nts remains constant, and the new average is 1.8 kg more than the earlier one , we haveNew Average Old average = 1.8(x+ unknown weight)/ 10 (x + 53) / 10= 1.8On solving we getx+ unknown weight x 53 = 18unknown weight 53 = 18unknown weight = 18 + 53Unknown weight = 71 kgs.To save time during exams we can use this formul a directly If the average is increased then Weight of new comer = weight of the person who left+ total increase in weightTot al increase in weight = number of men * increase in average weight If the average is decreased then Weight of new comer = weight of the person who left total decrease in weightThe total decrease in weight is = number of men * decrease in average weight2. The a verage of 15 results is 75. If the average of the first seven results is 77 and that of the last seven is 72, find the seventh result.Let the sum of all fifteen terms be xx= sum of first seven terms + seventh term + sum of last seven terms (1)Using the formula: Total = Average * Number of data elements We get x = 75 * 15 x = 1125 i.e. sum of all fifteen terms = 1125 Using the same formula:Sum of first seven terms = 7* 77 = 539Sum of last seven t erms = 7 * 72 = 504Using (1) we get1125 = 539 + seventh term + 504 Seventh term = 82 3. The average of w, x, y, z is 16. Half the sum of x, y, z is 28. What is the v alue of w?Since the average of the four terms is 16 (w + x + y + z) /4 = 16 (w + x + y + z) = 64 (1) We also have (x + y + z ) / 2 = 28 (x + y + z ) = 56 Using (1) we have w + 56 = 64 w = 8 4. The average cost of eight items in a shop is Rs. 5000. Three items costing Rs .4000, Rs. 4200, Rs. 4300 are sold. What is the average cost of the remaining it

ems?Using the formula:Total = Average * Number of data elements Total Cost of eight items = 5000 * 8 Total Cost of eight items = 40000 Total cost of the three items which are sold = 4000 + 4200 + 4300 = 12500Now the cost of the remaining five items = Cost of eight items cost of the three items which are sold 40000 12500 = 27500 Using the formula:Average = Total of the dataNumber of data elementsAverage = 27 500/ 5 = Rs 55005. A driver drove at an average speed of 50 km/hour for the firs t two hours of her journey. For the next three hours she averaged 20 km/ hour. W hat was the average speed overall?Distance covered in the first two hours = 50 k m/hour * 2 hours = 100 kmDistance covered in the last three hours = 20 km/ hour * 3 hours = 60 kmTotal distance = 160 kmTotal time= 5 hoursAverage speed = 32 km / hour The following exercise will help in understanding averages better.Exercise 1. Find the average of all prime numbers between 35 and 45. 2. The average weight of A, B, C is 45 kg. The average weight of A and B is 40 k g, and of B and C is 43 kg. Find the weight of B. 3. The average salary per month of 30 teachers is Rs 4000. If the Principal s sala ry is added, the average salary is increased to Rs 4, 300. What is the Principal s salary? 4. The arithmetic mean of 5 numbers is 27. If one of the numbers is excluded the ir mean is 25. What is the excluded number? 5. The mean temperature from Monday to Wednesday was 370 C and Tuesday to Thursd ay was 340 C. if the temperature on Thursday was 4/5th of Monday, what was the t emperature on Thursday? 6. The average age of 3 children in a family is 20% of the average age of the fa ther and the eldest child. the total age of the mother and the youngest child is 39 years. if the father s age is 26 years, what is the age of the second child? 7.The mean weight of 120 students in the first year class of a college is 56 kg. If the mean weight of boys and that of girls in the class are 60kg and 50 kg re spectively, then what is the number of boys and girls in the class? 8. There are 35 students in a hostel. Due to the admission of 7 new students, th e expenses of the mess were increased by Rs 42 per day while the average expendi ture per head diminished by Re. 1. What was the original expenditure by the mess ? 9. The average age of 30 students in a class is 15 years. If 10 more boys join t he class, the average age of the whole class is reduced by one year. What is the average age of the new comers? 10.The average age of a family of six members is 25 years. After two years, a pe rson dies at the age of 36 years and a new baby is born. What would be the avera ge age of the family after eight years?

Answers 1. 40.33 2. 31kg 3. Rs. 13,300 4. 35 5. 360 C 6. Cannot be determined from the information given 7. 72 boys and 48 girls 8. Rs. 420 9. 11 years 10. 29 years