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CEMC Cayley

Algebra Difficulty 1.5 Junior Find the answer

What is the value of xx if the three numbers 2,x2, x, and 10 have an average of xx?

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

Since the average of 2,x2, x and 10 is xx, then 2+x+103=x\frac{2 + x + 10}{3} = x. Multiplying by 3, we obtain 2+x+10=3x2 + x + 10 = 3x. Re-arranging, we obtain x+12=3xx + 12 = 3x and then 2x=122x = 12 which gives x=6x = 6.

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