What three numbers have an average of 280?
Part 1: Understanding the Problem
We're looking for three numbers whose average is 280. This means if we add these three numbers together and divide by 3, we should get 280.
Step-by-step Solution:
- Recall the average formula: Average = (Sum of numbers) / (Count of numbers)
- In this case: 280 = (x + y + z) / 3
- To find the sum, multiply both sides by 3: 280 * 3 = x + y + z
- So, the sum of our three numbers should be: 840
Part 2: Finding Solutions
Now, let's find multiple sets of three numbers that add up to 840.
Solution 1:
280, 280, 280
Verification:
(280 + 280 + 280) / 3 = 840 / 3 ≈ 280
This solution is correct!
Solution 2:
280, 280, 280
Verification:
(280 + 280 + 280) / 3 = 840 / 3 ≈ 280
This solution is correct!
Solution 3:
307, 71, 462
Verification:
(307 + 71 + 462) / 3 = 840 / 3 ≈ 280
This solution is correct!
Solution 4:
173, 519, 148
Verification:
(173 + 519 + 148) / 3 = 840 / 3 ≈ 280
This solution is correct!
Solution 5:
655, 86, 99
Verification:
(655 + 86 + 99) / 3 = 840 / 3 ≈ 280
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 840 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.