GRE Math : How to find arithmetic mean

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GRE Math

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store varsity tutors ibooks store

Example Questions

Example Question #31 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

If the average of \(\displaystyle a\) and \(\displaystyle b\)is 70, and the average of \(\displaystyle b\) and \(\displaystyle c\) is 110, what is the value of \(\displaystyle c-a\)?

Possible Answers:

90

40

80

150

70

Correct answer:

80

Explanation:

If the average of \(\displaystyle a\) and \(\displaystyle b\) is 70, then their sum is 140.

\(\displaystyle average=\frac{a+b}{2}=70\)

\(\displaystyle a+b=140\)

Likewise, if the average of b and c is 110, then their sum must be 220.

\(\displaystyle average=\frac{b+c}{2}=110\)

\(\displaystyle b+c=220\)

\(\displaystyle (b+c)-(a+b)=c-a\)

\(\displaystyle 220-140=c-a=80\)

Example Question #35 : Statistics

The average of 10 test scores is 120 and the average of 30 additional scores is 100.

Quantity A: The weighted average of these scores

Quantity B: 105

Possible Answers:

The two quantities are equal

Quantity A is greater

Quantity B is greater

The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

Correct answer:

The two quantities are equal

Explanation:

The sum of the first ten scores is 1,200 and the sum of the next 30 scores is 3,000. To take the weighted average of all scores, divide the sum of all scores (4,200) by the total number of scores (40), which would equal 105.

Example Question #31 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

A plane flies from San Francisco to New York City at 600 miles per hour and returns along the same route at 400 miles per hour. What is the average flying speed for the entire route (in miles per hour)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 500\)

\(\displaystyle 480\)

\(\displaystyle 460\)

\(\displaystyle 540\)

\(\displaystyle 550\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 480\)

Explanation:

First, pick a distance, preferably one that is divisible by 400 and 600. As an example, we will use 1,200. If the distance is 1,200, then it took 2 hours to get to New York City and 3 hours to get back to San Francisco. So, the plane traveled 2,400 miles in 5 hours. The average speed is simply 2,400 miles divided by 5 hours, which is 480 miles per hour.

Example Question #32 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

\(\displaystyle \left \{ 20, 35, 7, 12, 73, 12, 18, 31\right \}\)

Column A: The median of the set

Column B: The mean of the set

Possible Answers:

Columns A and B are equal.

Column A is greater.

Column B is greater.

Cannot be determined.

Correct answer:

Column B is greater.

Explanation:

The median is the middle number of the data set. If there is an even number of quantities in the data set, take the average of the middle two numbers.

Here, there are 8 numbers, so (18 + 20)/2 = 19. 

The mean, or average, is the sum of the integers divided by number of integers in the set: (20 + 35 + 7 + 12 + 73 + 12 + 18 + 31) / 8 = 26

Example Question #33 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

If the average (arithmetic mean) of \(\displaystyle x\), \(\displaystyle y\), and \(\displaystyle 9\) is \(\displaystyle 12\), what is the average of \(\displaystyle x+2\), \(\displaystyle y-6\), and \(\displaystyle 10\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 12\)

There is not enough information to determine the answer.

\(\displaystyle 9\)

\(\displaystyle 11\)

\(\displaystyle 10\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 11\)

Explanation:

If we can find the sum of \dpi{100} \small x+2\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small x+2\), \dpi{100} \small y-6\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small y-6\), and 10, we can determine their average. There is not enough information to solve for \dpi{100} \small x\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small x\) or \dpi{100} \small y\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small y\) individually, but we can find their sum, \dpi{100} \small x+y\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small x+y\)

Write out the average formula for the original three quantities.  Remember, adding together and dividing by the number of quantities gives the average: \frac{x + y + 9}{3} = 12\(\displaystyle \frac{x + y + 9}{3} = 12\)

Isolate \dpi{100} \small x+y\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small x+y\)

x + y + 9 = 36\(\displaystyle x + y + 9 = 36\)

x + y = 27\(\displaystyle x + y = 27\)

 

Write out the average formula for the new three quantities: 

\frac{x + 2 + y - 6 + 10}{3} = ?\(\displaystyle \frac{x + 2 + y - 6 + 10}{3} = ?\)

Combine the integers in the numerator:

\frac{x + y + 6}{3} = ?\(\displaystyle \frac{x + y + 6}{3} = ?\)

Replace \dpi{100} \small x+y\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \small x+y\) with 27:

\frac{27+ 6}{3} = \frac{33}{3} = 11\(\displaystyle \frac{27+ 6}{3} = \frac{33}{3} = 11\)

Example Question #34 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

The arithmetic mean of a, b, and c is \(\displaystyle 13\)

Quantity A: The arithmetic mean of \(\displaystyle 2a+b,b+3c,39-c\)

Quantity B: \(\displaystyle 39\)

Possible Answers:

Quantity A is greater.

The relationship cannot be established.

Quantity B is greater.

The two quantities are equal.

Correct answer:

The two quantities are equal.

Explanation:

To solve this problem, calculate Quantity A.

The arithmetic mean for a set of values is the sum of these values divided by the total number of values:

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{n}\sum_{i=1}^n x_i\)

For the set \(\displaystyle 2a+b,b+3c,39-c\), the mean is

\(\displaystyle \frac{(2a+b)+(b+3c)+(39-c)}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{2a+2b+2c+39}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{2a+2b+2c}{3}+13\)

Now recall that we're told that arithmetic mean of a, b, and c is \(\displaystyle 13\), i.e.

\(\displaystyle \frac{a+b+c}{3}=13\)

Using this fact, return to what we've written for Quantity A:

\(\displaystyle 2(\frac{a+b+c}{3})+13\)

\(\displaystyle 2(13)+13\)

\(\displaystyle 39\)

Quantity B is also \(\displaystyle 39\)

So the two quantities are equal.

Example Question #35 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

The arithmetic mean of a and b is \(\displaystyle 5\)

Quantity A: \(\displaystyle a^3+3a^2b+3ab^2+b^3\)

Quantity B: \(\displaystyle 125\)

Possible Answers:

The two quantities are equal.

Quantity A is greater.

Quantity B is greater.

The relationship cannot be established.

Correct answer:

Quantity A is greater.

Explanation:

The key to this problem is to recognize that Quantity A can be rewritten.

The function \(\displaystyle a^3+3a^2b+3ab^2+b^3\)

can be written as

\(\displaystyle (a+b)^3\)

Now, recall what we're told about the mean of a and b, namely that it equals \(\displaystyle 5\).

This is equivalent to saying

\(\displaystyle \frac{a+b}{2}=5\)

From this, we can see that

\(\displaystyle a+b=10\)

Therefore, we can find a value for Quantity A:

\(\displaystyle 10^3\)

\(\displaystyle 1000\)

Quantity A is greater.

Example Question #36 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

Looking at all the multiples of 5 from 5 to 50, what is the mean of all of those values?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 27.5\)

\(\displaystyle 25\)

\(\displaystyle 27\)

\(\displaystyle 30\)

\(\displaystyle 28\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 27.5\)

Explanation:

All of the multiples of 5 from 5 to 50 are 

\(\displaystyle 5,10,15,20,25,30,35,40,45,50\).  

The total of all of them is 275.  

Then the mean will be 27.5 

\(\displaystyle \textup{mean}=\frac{\textup{Sum of Multiples}}{\textup{Total number of Multiples}}=\frac{275}{10}\).

Example Question #46 : Statistics

What is the average grade of a student who got a \(\displaystyle 92\) in \(\displaystyle 3\) credit history course, \(\displaystyle 87\) in a \(\displaystyle 4\) credit math course, \(\displaystyle 88\) in a \(\displaystyle 3\) credit English course, \(\displaystyle 94\) in a \(\displaystyle 2\) credit Chinese course, and \(\displaystyle 86\) in \(\displaystyle 3\) credit biology course? Assume all credits are valued equally and round to the nearest hundredth.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 89.88\)

\(\displaystyle 88.90\)

\(\displaystyle 89.32\)

\(\displaystyle 88.93\)

\(\displaystyle 87.54\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 88.93\)

Explanation:

In order to solve this problem, we must know how to find the arithmetic mean for a set of numbers. The arithmetic mean is defined as the sum of all the numbers added up divided by the number. In this case, we first have to find the amount of credits present. Adding all the credits up, we find there are 15 credits. Now, by adding up the grades for each of those credits and dividing by the total number of credits, we can solve for the average grade of the student.

 

\(\displaystyle \frac{3(92)+4(87)+3(88)+2(94)+3(86)}{4+3+3+2+3}=88.93\)

Tired of practice problems?

Try live online GRE prep today.

1-on-1 Tutoring
Live Online Class
1-on-1 + Class
Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors