Finding the Average: Calculating a Biology Class's Weighted Grade

Weighted Averages with Unknown Percentages

A biology class receives the following grades:

GradeWeight30%20%X%Therest75689453

What is the class average?

❤️ Continue Your Math Journey!

We have hundreds of course questions with personalized recommendations + Account 100% premium

Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

A biology class receives the following grades:

GradeWeight30%20%X%Therest75689453

What is the class average?

2

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we will calculate the weighted average based on the following given data and constraints:

  • Grade 75 with a weight of 30%.

  • Grade 68 with a weight of 20%.

  • Grade 94 with a weight of X% X\% .

  • Grade 53 making up the remaining percentage, which equals 100%(30%+20%+X%)=(50X)% 100\% - (30\% + 20\% + X\%) = (50 - X)\% .

Now, we perform the calculations step by step:

1. Convert percentages to decimals:

  • 30% becomes 0.30, 20% becomes 0.20, X% X\% becomes X100 \frac{X}{100} , and (50X)%(50 - X)\% becomes 50X100 \frac{50-X}{100} .

2. Calculate the weighted value of each grade:

  • Grade 75: 75×0.30=22.5 75 \times 0.30 = 22.5 .

  • Grade 68: 68×0.20=13.6 68 \times 0.20 = 13.6 .

  • Grade 94: 94×X100=0.94X 94 \times \frac{X}{100} = 0.94X .

  • Grade 53: 53×50X100=0.53(50X)=26.50.53X 53 \times \frac{50-X}{100} = 0.53(50 - X) = 26.5 - 0.53X .

3. Sum these weighted values to get the overall weighted average:

Weighted Average=22.5+13.6+0.94X+26.50.53X \text{Weighted Average} = 22.5 + 13.6 + 0.94X + 26.5 - 0.53X

This simplifies to:

62.6+0.41X 62.6 + 0.41X

Thus, the class average can be expressed as 62.6+0.41X 62.6 + 0.41X .

3

Final Answer

62.6+0.41x 62.6+0.41x

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Formula: Multiply each grade by its weight, then add all products
  • Variable: Express unknown weight as X%, remaining weight as (50-X)%
  • Check: Verify all weights sum to 100%: 30% + 20% + X% + (50-X)% = 100% ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Adding grades first, then applying weights
    Don't add 75 + 68 + 94 + 53 = 290, then multiply by weights = wrong calculation! This treats all grades equally instead of weighting them properly. Always multiply each grade by its individual weight first, then add the weighted products.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Norbert buys some new clothes.

When he gets home, he decides to work out how much each outfit cost him on average.

PriceOutfit4 T-shirts2 pairs of shorts3 pairs of pants2 sweaters45$50$80$100$210$1 coat

What answer should he come up with?

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

How do I handle the unknown percentage X?

+

Keep X as a variable throughout your calculation! Multiply the grade by X100 \frac{X}{100} to get 0.94X 0.94X , and your final answer will be an expression with X.

What does 'the rest' mean in the weight column?

+

'The rest' means the remaining percentage after accounting for the known weights. Since 30% + 20% + X% are used, the rest is (1003020X) (100 - 30 - 20 - X)% = (50 - X)% .

Why isn't the answer just one number?

+

Because we don't know the exact value of X! The class average depends on what X equals. The expression 62.6+0.41X 62.6 + 0.41X shows how the average changes with different X values.

How do I convert percentages to decimals for calculations?

+

Divide the percentage by 100: 30% becomes 0.30, 20% becomes 0.20, and X% becomes 0.01X. This makes the multiplication easier!

Can I check my algebra by plugging in a test value for X?

+

Yes! Try X = 10: the weights become 30%, 20%, 10%, 40%. Calculate manually: 75(0.30)+68(0.20)+94(0.10)+53(0.40)=66.7 75(0.30) + 68(0.20) + 94(0.10) + 53(0.40) = 66.7 . Using the formula: 62.6+0.41(10)=66.7 62.6 + 0.41(10) = 66.7

🌟 Unlock Your Math Potential

Get unlimited access to all 18 Weighted Average questions, detailed video solutions, and personalized progress tracking.

📹

Unlimited Video Solutions

Step-by-step explanations for every problem

📊

Progress Analytics

Track your mastery across all topics

🚫

Ad-Free Learning

Focus on math without distractions

No credit card required • Cancel anytime

More Questions

Click on any question to see the complete solution with step-by-step explanations