Juan scored 10 points higher on his midterm and 26 points higher on his final than he did on his first exam.If his mean (average) score was 45, what was his score on the first exam?
A) 32
B) 40
C) 33
D) 31
E) 35

Question

Juan scored 10 points higher on his midterm and 26 points higher on his final than he did on his first exam.If his mean (average) score was 45, what was his score on the first exam? 
A) 32
B) 40
C) 33
D) 31
E) 35

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Let x be the score on the first exam. Then, the score on the midterm is x + 10 and the score on the final is x + 26. The mean score is (x + x + 10 + x + 26)/3 = (3x + 36)/3 = x + 12. Therefore, x + 12 = 45, which implies x = 33.

Juan Scored 10 Points Higher on His Midterm and 26