16Hit1600
AlgebraHardNumber removed from a list, from two averages

Algebra practice question

The average (arithmetic mean) of five numbers is 12. When one of the numbers is removed, the average of the remaining four is 10. What is the number that was removed?

Answer: 20

The five total 60; the four total 40; the removed number is 60 − 40 = 20.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 2
2 is the change in the average, not the number.
If you answered 12
12 is the original average.
If you answered 22
22 adds the two averages.

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