AMC 10 Step by Step

2007 AMC 10B Problem 16

P16-20~2 minPrint

A teacher gave a test to a class in which 10%10\% of the students are juniors and 90%90\% are seniors. The average score on the test was 84.84. The juniors all received the same score, and the average score of the seniors was 83.83. What score did each of the juniors receive on the test?

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Key insight

Pretend the class has 10 students: 1 junior and 9 seniors. The class total is 840 and the seniors earned 747, so the junior scored the other 93.

Solution

Only percents are given, so the class size does not matter. Pick an easy one: 1010 students, which means 11 junior and 99 seniors.

1. The class average is 8484, so all 1010 scores add to
10×84=840.10 \times 84 = 840.
2. The 99 seniors average 8383, so their scores add to
9×83=747.9 \times 83 = 747.
3. Whatever is left belongs to the junior:
840−747=93.840 - 747 = 93.
4. All juniors got the same score, so each junior scored 9393. (With 2020 students, 22 juniors, you get 1680−1494=1861680 - 1494 = 186, which is 9393 each again.)

The answer is (C) 93\boxed{\textbf{(C)}\ 93}.

Why this works

An average times the number of people gives the total, and totals can be added and subtracted while averages cannot. Choosing a convenient class size turns the percents into real people. Another way to see it: each of the 99 seniors is 11 point below 8484, so together they are 99 points short, and the one junior must make up all 99 points by scoring 84+9=9384 + 9 = 93.

Alternative approach

Balance the points above and below 8484. Out of every 1010 students, 99 seniors are each 11 point below average, a total shortfall of 99 points. The 11 junior must be 99 points above average to balance it, so the junior scored 84+9=9384 + 9 = 93.

Concise solution

A shorter write-up, the way contest solutions are usually written. It may take a different route from the solution above.

The class size does not matter, so suppose there are 1010 students: 11 junior and 99 seniors.

The class total is 10⋅84=84010 \cdot 84 = 840 points. The seniors contribute 9⋅83=7479 \cdot 83 = 747 points. The junior's score is the rest:
840−747=93.840 - 747 = 93.

Since every junior scored the same, each junior received 9393.

The answer is (C) 93\boxed{\textbf{(C)}\ 93}.

Review in the AoPS books

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Problem © Mathematical Association of America (MAA), American Mathematics Competitions. Reproduced for non-commercial educational use. Solution and commentary are original to this site. Also appeared as 2007 12B #12.