Work-out problems based on average:

1. The mean weight of a group of seven boys is 56 kg. The

individual weights (in kg) of six of them are 52, 57, 55, 60, 59
and 55. Find the weight of the seventh boy.

Solution:

Mean weight of 7 boys = 56 kg.

Total weight of 7 boys = (56 × 7) kg = 392 kg.

Total weight of 6 boys = (52 + 57 + 55 + 60 + 59 + 55) kg

= 338 kg.

Weight of the 7th boy = (total weight of 7 boys) - (total weight of

6 boys)

= (392 - 338) kg

= 54 kg.

Hence, the weight of the seventh boy is 54 kg.

2. A cricketer has a mean score of 58 runs in nine innings. Find

out how many runs are to be scored by him in the tenth innings
to raise the mean score to 61.

Solution:

Mean score of 9 innings = 58 runs.

Total score of 9 innings = (58 x 9) runs = 522 runs.

Required mean score of 10 innings = 61 runs.

Required total score of 10 innings = (61 x 10) runs = 610 runs.

Number of runs to be scored in the 10th innings 

= (total score of 10 innings) - (total score of 9 innings)

= (610 -522) = 88. 

Hence, the number of runs to be scored in the 10th innings = 88.

3. The mean of five numbers is 28. If one of the numbers is

excluded, the mean gets reduced by 2. Find the excluded
number.
Solution:

Mean of 5 numbers = 28.

Sum of these 5 numbers = (28 x 5) = 140.

Mean of the remaining 4 numbers = (28 - 2) =26.

Sum of these remaining 4 numbers = (26 × 4) = 104.

Excluded number

= (sum of the given 5 numbers) - (sum of the remaining 4

numbers)

= (140 - 104)

= 36. 
Hence, the excluded number is 36.

4. The mean weight of a class of 35 students is 45 kg. If the

weight of the teacher be included, the mean weight increases by
500 g. Find the weight of the teacher.

Solution:

Mean weight of 35 students = 45 kg.

Total weight of 35 students = (45 × 35) kg = 1575 kg.

Mean weight of 35 students and the teacher (45 + 0.5) kg = 45.5

kg.

Total weight of 35 students and the teacher = (45.5 × 36) kg =

1638 kg.

Weight of the teacher = (1638 - 1575) kg = 63 kg.

Hence, the weight of the teacher is 63 kg.

5. The average height of 30 boys was calculated to be 150 cm. It

was detected later that one value of 165 cm was wrongly copied
as 135 cm for the computation of the mean. Find the correct
mean.

Solution:

Calculated average height of 30 boys = 150 cm.

Incorrect sum of the heights of 30 boys

= (150 × 30)cm
= 4500 cm.

Correct sum of the heights of 30 boys

= (incorrect sum) - (wrongly copied item) + (actual item)

= (4500 - 135 + 165) cm

= 4530 cm.

Correct mean = correct sum/number of boys

= (4530/30) cm

= 151 cm.

Hence, the correct mean height is 151 cm.

6. The mean of 16 items was found to be 30. On rechecking, it

was found that two items were wrongly taken as 22 and 18
instead of 32 and 28 respectively. Find the correct mean.

Solution:

Calculated mean of 16 items = 30.

Incorrect sum of these 16 items = (30 × 16) = 480.

Correct sum of these 16 items

= (incorrect sum) - (sum of incorrect items) + (sum of actual

items)

= [480 - (22 + 18) + (32 + 28)]

= 500.

Therefore, correct mean = 500/16 = 31.25.

Hence, the correct mean is 31.25.

7. The mean of 25 observations is 36. If the mean of the first

observations is 32 and that of the last 13 observations is 39, find
the 13th observation.

Solution:

Mean of the first 13 observations = 32.

Sum of the first 13 observations = (32 × 13) = 416.

Mean of the last 13 observations = 39.

Sum of the last 13 observations = (39 × 13) = 507.

Mean of 25 observations = 36.

Sum of all the 25 observations = (36 × 25) = 900.

Therefore, the 13th observation = (416 + 507 - 900) = 23.

Hence, the 13th observation is 23.

8. The aggregate monthly expenditure of a family was $ 6240

during the first 3 months, $ 6780 during the next 4 months and $
7236 during the last 5 months of a year. If the total saving during
the year is $ 7080, find the average monthly income of the
family.

Solution:

Total expenditure during the year

= $[6240 × 3 + 6780 × 4 + 7236 × 5]

= $ [18720 + 27120 + 36180]

= $ 82020.

Total income during the year = $ (82020 + 7080) = $ 89100.

Average monthly income = (89100/12) = $7425.

Hence, the average monthly income of the family is $ 7425.

8. The mean of the heights of 6 boys is 152 cm. If the individual heights of five of them are
151 cm, 153 cm, 155 cm, 149 cm and 154 cm, find the height of the sixth boy.

Solution:

Mean height of 6 boys = 152 cm.

Sum of the heights of 6 boys = (152 × 6) = 912 cm

Sum of the heights of 5 boys = (151 + 153 + 155 + 149 + 154) cm = 762 cm.

Height of the sixth boy

= (sum of the heights of 6 boys) - (sum of the heights of 5 boys)

= (912 - 762) cm = 150 cm.

Hence, the height of the sixth girl is 150 cm.

1. The heights of five runners are 160 cm, 137 cm, 149 cm, 153 cm and 161 cm
respectively. Find the mean height per runner.

Solution:

Mean height = Sum of the heights of the runners/number of runners

= (160 + 137 + 149 + 153 + 161)/5 cm

= 760/5 cm

= 152 cm.

Hence, the mean height is 152 cm.

Find the arithmetic mean of the first 7 natural numbers.

Solution:

The first 7 natural numbers are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Let x denote their arithmetic mean.

Then mean = Sum of the first 7 natural numbers/number of natural numbers

x = (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7)/7

= 28/7

=4

Hence, their mean is 4.

If the mean of 9, 8, 10, x, 12 is 15, find the value of x.

Solution:

Mean of the given numbers = (9 + 8 + 10 + x + 12)/5 = (39 + x)/5

According to the problem, mean = 15 (given).

Therefore, (39 + x)/5 = 15

⇒ 39 + x = 15 × 5

⇒ 39 + x = 75

⇒ 39 - 39 + x = 75 - 39

⇒ x = 36

Hence, x = 36.

 The mean of 40 numbers was found to be 38. Later on, it was detected that a number 56
was misread as 36. Find the correct mean of given numbers.

Solution:

Calculated mean of 40 numbers = 38.

Therefore, calculated sum of these numbers = (38 × 40) = 1520.

Correct sum of these numbers

= [1520 - (wrong item) + (correct item)]

= (1520 - 36 + 56)

= 1540.

Therefore, the correct mean = 1540/40 = 38.5.