What three numbers have an average of 56?
Part 1: Understanding the Problem
We're looking for three numbers whose average is 56. This means if we add these three numbers together and divide by 3, we should get 56.
Step-by-step Solution:
- Recall the average formula: Average = (Sum of numbers) / (Count of numbers)
- In this case: 56 = (x + y + z) / 3
- To find the sum, multiply both sides by 3: 56 * 3 = x + y + z
- So, the sum of our three numbers should be: 168
Part 2: Finding Solutions
Now, let's find multiple sets of three numbers that add up to 168.
Solution 1:
56, 56, 56
Verification:
(56 + 56 + 56) / 3 = 168 / 3 ≈ 56
This solution is correct!
Solution 2:
56, 56, 56
Verification:
(56 + 56 + 56) / 3 = 168 / 3 ≈ 56
This solution is correct!
Solution 3:
81, 66, 21
Verification:
(81 + 66 + 21) / 3 = 168 / 3 ≈ 56
This solution is correct!
Solution 4:
117, 38, 13
Verification:
(117 + 38 + 13) / 3 = 168 / 3 ≈ 56
This solution is correct!
Solution 5:
36, 93, 39
Verification:
(36 + 93 + 39) / 3 = 168 / 3 ≈ 56
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 168 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.