SOLUTION: The average of six number is 4. If the average of two numbers is 2 what is the average of the other four numbers

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Question 1174920: The average of six number is 4. If the average of two numbers is 2 what is the average of the other four numbers
Found 2 solutions by ankor@dixie-net.com, greenestamps:
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The average of six number is 4.
therefore the total of the 6 numbers: 6*4 = 24
:
If the average of two numbers is 2
the total of these two number is: 2*2 = 4
:
what is the average of the other four numbers
total of these 4 numbers 24 - 4 = 20
20%2F4 = 5 is the average of these 4 numbers

Answer by greenestamps(13203) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The other tutor showed a standard basic method for solving a problem like this involving averages, using the definition of average.

Here is an alternative method that I find faster and easier when the numbers are all "close together".

The average of six numbers is 4; the average of two of those numbers is 2.
Each of those two numbers is 2 short of the overall average, so between them they are a total of 2*2=4 short of the average.
That means the remaining numbers together must be 4 over the average.
Since there are four other numbers, each of them must be over the average by 4/4=1.
So the average of the other four numbers must be 4+1=5.