French test
What was the average score in this French test?
The first four students to take a French test get an average of 4 marks.
The next six students to take the same test get an average of 6 marks.
What is the average for all 10 students?
This problem is taken from the World Mathematics Championships
Using the formula for the mean
The mean for the first 4 students was found by adding the 4 different scores and then dividing by 4. So the sum of the scores was 4$\times$4 = 16
Similarly, the sum of the last 6 scores was 6$\times$6 = 36
So the total score for the whole group was 16 + 26 = 52, and so the average score for the group was 52$\div$10 = 5.2
Using ratio
The sizes of the groups are in the ratio 4 : 6, or 2 : 3. This means that the impact on the average of the two groups' scores is also in the ratio 4 : 6, or 2 : 3.
So the average score will be closer to the 'last 6' average score than the 'first 4' average score, in the ratio 2 : 3.
The difference between the 'first 4' average of 4 and the 'last 6' average of 6 is 2, so 2 needs to be split in the ratio 2 : 3.
2 : 3 is equivalent to 8 : 12 and to 0.8 : 1.2. 0.8 + 1.2 = 2, so the number that is 0.8 from 6 and 1.2 from 4 is the average for the whole group, which is 5.2