What three numbers have an average of 173?
Part 1: Understanding the Problem
We're looking for three numbers whose average is 173. This means if we add these three numbers together and divide by 3, we should get 173.
Step-by-step Solution:
- Recall the average formula: Average = (Sum of numbers) / (Count of numbers)
- In this case: 173 = (x + y + z) / 3
- To find the sum, multiply both sides by 3: 173 * 3 = x + y + z
- So, the sum of our three numbers should be: 519
Part 2: Finding Solutions
Now, let's find multiple sets of three numbers that add up to 519.
Solution 1:
173, 173, 173
Verification:
(173 + 173 + 173) / 3 = 519 / 3 ≈ 173
This solution is correct!
Solution 2:
173, 173, 173
Verification:
(173 + 173 + 173) / 3 = 519 / 3 ≈ 173
This solution is correct!
Solution 3:
333, 101, 85
Verification:
(333 + 101 + 85) / 3 = 519 / 3 ≈ 173
This solution is correct!
Solution 4:
480, 38, 1
Verification:
(480 + 38 + 1) / 3 = 519 / 3 ≈ 173
This solution is correct!
Solution 5:
73, 157, 289
Verification:
(73 + 157 + 289) / 3 = 519 / 3 ≈ 173
This solution is correct!
Explanation:
As you can see, there are many possible solutions. We can find more by:
- Choosing any two numbers
- Subtracting their sum from 519 to get the third number
Remember:
- The numbers don't have to be whole numbers.
- They can even be negative (although that might not make sense in some real-world contexts).
- The order of the numbers doesn't matter for the average.