Math Help - Word problem - Set up and solve

1. Word problem - Set up and solve

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum so please pardon if I make any forum etiquette mistakes. I've been struggling with this problem for an hour now and I just can't get the correct answer:

The average height of the two forwards and center of a basektball team is 6 feet and 8 inches. What must the average height of the two guards be so that the team average is at least 6 feet and 4 inches.

Can someone help me set this up? Thanks in advance.

2. Averages

Hello autumnafternoo
Originally Posted by autumnafternoon
Hi all,

I'm new to this forum so please pardon if I make any forum etiquette mistakes. I've been struggling with this problem for an hour now and I just can't get the correct answer:

The average height of the two forwards and center of a basektball team is 6 feet and 8 inches. What must the average height of the two guards be so that the team average is at least 6 feet and 4 inches.

Can someone help me set this up? Thanks in advance.
Work with totals. You know that

• average height of player = $\frac{\text{total height of players}}{\text{number of players}}$

Well, you can work that formula the other way round, so that it says:

• total height of players = average height of player x number of players

You know that three of the players have an average height of 6 feet 8 inches. So what is their total height?

Then work out what the total height of all five players will have to be, if their average is going to be 6 feet 4 inches.