6.

Averages
BASICS OF AVERAGES

Average is the mean of a set of numbers or values.

Therefore, average of a set of numbers is, Average = or in other words, Average of
some
Average is also called the Arithmetic Mean.
Also, Sum of all observations = Average × Number of observations
Number of observations =
Let us try to find the average of the numbers given below.
20, 22, 25, 30, and 32
So, according to the above formula:
Average =
Average = = 25.8
Let us see another approach to find the average of the numbers that are close to each other which
will also help us in
Data Interpretation questions i.e. Net Deviation Method.

Net Deviation Method

Let us take the same numbers as we had taken above 20, 22, 25, 30 and 32.
As we know, average can never be less than 20 and can never be more than 32. So, let us assume
any of the numbers above as our average.
Let 25 be our assumed average.
Observation 20 22 25 30 32
Deviation 5 3 0 +5 +7
So, Net deviation = ( 5) + ( 3) + 0 + 5 + 7 = 4
Now, required average = 25 + = 25.8
So,
Average = Assumed average +

Example 1: What will be the average of 1105, 1120, 1132, 1140 and 1144?
Solution: Here, we will find the average by Net Deviation Method as the given numbers are close to
each other.
So, assumed average be 1120.
Observation 1105 1120 1132 1140 1144
Deviation 15 0 +12 +20 +24
Net deviation = 15 + 12 + 20 + 24 = 41
Now, required average = 1120 + = 1128.2

Example 2: If the average of p and q is 58 and the average of q and s is 64, then what is the value of
(s p)?

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Solution:

Given, = 116
Also, (2)
Subtracting Eq. (1) from Eq. (2), we get (q + s) (p + q) = 128 116 => s p = 12

Example 3: The average age of 9 members of Sharma family is 32 years. What would be the average
age of the same family 4 years ago?
Solution: Present average age of family = 32 years
In question of ages the average age changes by the number of years after/before which average is
asked.
So, 4 years ago, average age of family = 32 4 = 28 years

Example 4: The average of 11 numbers is 40 and that of the first five is 33 and that of the last five is
30. What is the value of the 6th number?
Solution: Average of 11 numbers = 40
So, sum of 11 numbers = 11 × 40 = 440
Sum of the first 5 = 5 × 33 = 165
Sum of the last 5 = 5 × 30 = 150
Value of the sixth number = 440 (165 + 150) = 440 315 = 125

Example 5: The average marks of 20 students in a class were calculated to be 18 out of 20. Later on,
the teacher realized that the marks of two students were taken as 15 and 17, respectively, instead of
12 and 15. What will be the new average of the class?
Solution: The marks of the two students were taken as 15 and 17, that is, a total of 32.
Actual marks received = 12 + 15 = 27 marks
The total will get decreased by 5 marks.
So, the average will get decreased by
New average = 18 0.25 = 17.75 marks.

Note:
If each of the given quantities is increased by a constant p, then their average is also increased by p.
If each of the given quantities is decreased by a constant p, then their average is also decreased by p.
If each of the given quantities is multiplied by a constant p, then their average is also multiplied by p.
If each of the given quantities is divided by a constant p, then their average is also divided by p.

Average in Arithmetic Sequence

Whenever the given quantities form an arithmetic sequence and
If the given sequence has odd number of terms, then the average of the sequence is the middle
term of the sequence. For example, the average of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 is 4 (the middle term).
If the given sequence has even number of terms, then the average of the sequence is the average
of the middle two terms. For example, the average of 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 is

Shortcut:

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 Average of first 'n' natural numbers =
Average of first 'n' even numbers = (n + 1)

Example 6: What is the average of first five even numbers?

Solution: The first five even numbers are 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
Average = n + 1
So, here n = 5; Average = 6

Example 7: The average of five consecutive even numbers is 50. What is the largest number of these
numbers?
Solution: Let the number be x 4, x 2, x, x + 2, x + 4
Average = = = 50
So, the numbers are 46, 48, 50, 52, 54.
Hence, the largest number of these numbers is 54.

PERSON LEAVING OR JOINING THE GROUP

As we know that the average is nothing but a quantity that defines the term's equal distribution, as it
is very clear that if all the values of a set are replaced by their average value, then also the sum of
values will remain unchanged, but if we replace a single value by any value other than that value,
then sum will surely change.
There are basically four cases that we will discuss.
Whenever a value larger than the average value comes inside a set of values, then the average will
increase.
Whenever a value smaller than the average value comes inside that set, then the average will
decrease.
Whenever a value larger than the average value leaves that set, then the average will decrease.
Whenever a value smaller than the average value leaves that set, then the average will increase.

Let us understand this concept by taking an example each of first case and fourth case.

Example 8: Average age of a class of 6 students is 10 years. When a new student admits into the
class, then the average increases by 1. What is the age of that new student?
Solution: As we know, average is equal distribution, so initially those 6 students were assigned the
age as 10 years, even when the new student came, he will also be assigned the age 10 years.
But after his entry the average rose by 1 year that means he got some age extra that got equally
divided among all including him. So, the age assigned to him was 11 years.
New average age is 11 years i.e. increment of 1 in the age of each student.
Required age = 11 + (6 × 1) = 17 years

Example 9: Average weight of a class of 10 students is 13 kg. A girl left the group and the average
increased to 13.5 kg. What was the weight of that girl?
Solution: As we studied in the fourth case, that when a value smaller than the average value leaves
the set then the average increases. So, the weight of that girl must have been less than 13.
After she left the group, 9 students were remaining and their average rose by 0.5 kg.
Total increment = 0.5 × 9 = 4.5 kg

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At the time of her entry in the group, she must had provided 4.5 kg weight by taking from the other
students in group.
So, her original weight = 13 4.5 = 8.5 kg

Example 10: Average weight of 32 students of a class is 30.5 kg. If the weight of a teacher is also
included then the average weight is increased by 500 g. What is the weight of the teacher?
Solution: Applying average =
Sum of all observations = Average × Number of observations
Total weight of 32 students = 30.5 × 32 = 976 kg
Average weight of (32 students + 1 teacher) = (30.5 + 0.5) = 31 kg
Total weight of (32 students + 1 teacher) = 31 × 33 = 1023 kg
Weight of the teacher (1023 976) kg = 47 kg
Alternate Method:
When teacher comes, average increase by 500 gm.
Weight of the teacher = 31 + (32 × 0.5) = 47 kg

Example 11: A student on her first 3 tests received an average score of N points. If she exceeds her
previous average score by 20 points on her fourth test, then what is the average score for the first 4
tests?
Solution: um of first 3 tests = 3N
Score in fourth test = N + 20
Average of four tests =
Alternate Method:
Extra 20 marks in the fourth test should be equally divided among the four tests.
So, average in the four tests =

Example 12: The average age of a group of people was calculated as 28 years. This was 2 years more
than the correct average as there was an error in noting the ages of 2 persons as 32 and 36 instead
of 21 and 23. How many persons were there in the group?
Solution: Incorrect average = 28
Correct average = 26
Let the number of persons be x.
28x - (32 + 36) + (21 + 23) = 26x
28x 68 + 44 = 26x => 2x = 24 => x = 12

WEIGHTED AVERAGE
When two groups of observations are combined, then we talk of the average of the entire group. For
example, there are two sections A and B of a class, where the average height of students of section A
is 120 cm and that of section B is 150 cm. On the basis of this information alone, we cannot find the
average of the entire class, (of the two sections), since we do not have any information regarding the
number of students in the two sections. Now, suppose that we are given that there are 60 students
in section A and 40 students in section B, then we can calculate the average height of the entire
class.
The average height of the two classes combined is =
So, average = = = 132
This average height 132 cm of the entire class is called "weighted average" of the class.

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Even if there are more than two groups of observations that have to be combined, then also the
weighted average can be calculated by the same method. For example, if three sections in a class
have their average marks as 75, 76 and 79 respectively and their respective strengths are 30, 35 and
35, then the average mark of the entire class is given by
= 76.75
The general formula for weighted average is

The above step in calculating the weighted average of the class can be rewritten as
= = = = = 132
It is clear from the above step that we would have been able to calculate the average height of the
entire class even if we had not been given the number of students in the individual sections, but we
only had the ratio of the number of students in the two sections (which in this case is 3: 2).

Example 13: Three varieties of almonds costing Rs. 400/kg, Rs. 500/kg and Rs. 700/kg are mixed in
the ratio 1: 1: 2. What is the cost/kg of the resultant mixture?
Solution: Cost of resultant mixture/kg = = = = Rs. 575 kg

Example 14: The ratio of boys to girls in a class is 5: 3. In an exam, the average score of the boys was
45 while the average Score of the girls was 35. What is the average score of the entire class in the
exam.
Solution: Average score of the class =
Average score of the class = 41.25

Example 15: In colony Sita, there are 12 houses with an average of four members per house, while in
colony Gita, there are 20 houses with an average of Y members per house. If the two colonies
together have an average of 3.5 members per house, then what is the value of y?
Solution: It is given that the average number of members in the two colonies together is 3.5.
Therefore, = 3.5
12 × 4 + 20 × Y = 3.5 × 32 => 48 + 20Y = 112 => 20Y = 64 Y = 3.2 members per house

Exercise
1. Five students obtained 14, 12, 18, x and 20 marks in an exam. If the average marks of the group
is 15, then what is the value of x?
a. 12 b. 13 c. 11 d. 14
2. What is the average of the squares of the first 19 natural numbers?
a. 124 b. 127.5 c. 130 d. 133.5
3. What is the average of all numbers between 11 and 80 which are divisible by 6?
a. 46 b. 47 c. 44 d. 45
4. The average of 12 numbers is 9. If each number is multiplied by 2 and added to 3, the average of
the new set of numbers will be:
a. 9 b. 18 c. 21 d. 27
5. 5. What is the average of the first seven even multiples of 4.

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 a. 16 b. 12 c. 20 d. 24
6. The average marks of a group of six students decreases by 3 when the marks of the highest
scorer are replaced by the marks of the lowest scorer. If the marks of the lowest scorer are 25,
then what are the marks of the highest scorer.
a. 33 b. 43 c. 25 d. 40
7. In a match, average of runs scored by 5 players is 449. If the runs scored by four players are 75,
30, 62 and 21 respectively, then how many runs did the 5th player scored?
a. 43 b. 49 c. 57 d. 89
8. The average of 45 results was calculated as 27 but later it was found that while calculating, 39
was taken as 93 by mistake, then what will be the correct average?
a. 25.8 b. 26.8 c. 27.2 d. 28.2
9. The average weight of a group of nine people decreases by 3 kg when a person weighing 56 kg
was replaced by a new person. What is the weight of the new person?
a. 29 kg b. 27 kg c. 47 kg d. 38 kg
10. The average age of 36 students in a group is 14 years. When the teacher's age is included, the
average age increases by one year. What is the teacher's age?
a. 31 years b. 36 years c. 51 years d. None of these
11. A teacher gave a test in which there were three sections. The average number of questions in
the three sections was 25. If the number of questions in the third section was 50 % more than
the first section and five more than the second section, then what was the number of questions
in the second section.
a. 32 b. 16 c. 20 d. 25
12. Five years ago, the average age of a husband and wife was 35 years. Today, the average age of
the husband, wife and a child is 28 years. What was the average age of the couple when the
child was born?
a. 35 years b. 40 years c. 38 years d. 36 years
13. The average age of 5 members of a family is 24 years. If the youngest member is 8 years old,
then what was the average age of the family just before the birth of the youngest member?
a. 16 years b. 20 years c. 24 years d. 32 years
14. The average weight of a class of 40 students is 40 kg. If the weight of the teacher is included, the
average weight increases by 500 grams. What is the weight of the teacher?
a. 60 kg b. 60.5 kg c. 50.5 kg d. 44 kg
15. Out of three annual examinations, each with a total of 500 marks, a student secured average
marks of 45 % and 55 % in the first and second annual examinations. To have an overall average
of 60 %, how many marks does the student need to secure in the third annual examination?
a. 450 b. 400 c. 350 d. 300
16. Three years ago, the average age of Akhil and Bimal was 18 years, With Chetan joining them, the
present average age becomes 22 years. How old is Chetan now?
a. 24 years b. 27 years c. 28 years d. 32 years
17. The average age of 14 cricketers and their coach is 15 years. If the age of coach is excluded, the
average reduces by 1. What is the age of coach?
a. 35 years b. 32 years c. 30 years d. 29 years
18. The average of 11 results is 182. If the average of first 6 results is 199 and that of the last 6
results is 161, then what will be the 6th result?
a. 79 b. 118.5 c. 158 d. 237

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19. The average of 11 numbers is 10.9. If the average of the first six numbers is 10.5 and that of the
last six numbers is 11.4, then what is the middle number?
a. 11.5 b. 11.4 c. 11.3 d. 11.0
th
20. Having scored 98 runs in the 19 innings, a cricketer increases his average score by 4. What will
be his average score after the 19th innings?
a. 28 b. 26 c. 24 d. 22
21. A batsman in his 12th innings makes a score of 120, and thereby increased his average by 5. The
average score after 12th innings is:
a. 60 b. 55 c. 65 d. 70
22. In the first 40 overs of a 50 over innings, the run rate was 4.8 runs/over. What is the required
run rate in the remaining 10 overs to reach the target of 241 runs?
a. 6.7 b. 6.5 c. 6.3 d. 4.9
23. The average of any 5 consecutive odd natural numbers is k. If two more such numbers, just next
to these five numbers are added, then what will be the new average?
a. (k + 1) b. 2k 3 c. 2k + 1 d. k + 2
24. Narendra was conducting an experiment in which the average of 11 observations came to be 90,
while the average of first five observations was 87, and that of the last five was 84. What was
the measure of the 6th observation?
a. 135 b. 150 c. 145 d. 135
25. Average age of father and his two sons is 27 years. Five years ago, the average age of the two
sons was 12 years. What is the present age of the father?
a. 34 years b. 47 years c. 64 years d. 27 years
26. The average of 8 numbers is A, and one of the numbers is 14. If 14 is replaced with 28, then what
is the new average in terms of A?
a. A + b. 2A + c. A d. A +
27. The average age of a class of 30 students and a teacher reduces by 0.5 years if we exclude the
teacher. If the initial average is 14 years, then what is the age of the class teacher?
a. 29 years b. 30 years c. 31 years d. 32 years
28. The average of 30 results is 20 and the average of other 20 results is 30. What is the average of
all the results?
a. 24 b. 25 c. 48 d. 50
29. The average height of 30 girls in a class of 40 is 160 cm and the average of remaining girls is 156
cm. What is the average height of the whole class?
a. 158 cm b. 158.5 cm c. 159 cm d. 159.5 cm
30. There are 197 boys and 591 girls in a college. If the average weight of boys is 63 kg and average
weight of girls is 51 kg, then what is the average weight of the students in the college?
a. 56 kg b. 57 kg c. 54 kg d. 60 kg
Answers

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
c c d c a b c a a c
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
d d b b b a d c a b
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
c d d d b d a a c c

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