Math Problem Statement

Let S = {X, 1, 7} where the mean of S is also the median of S. Find the product of all possible X.

Solution

The given problem states that S={X,1,7}S = \{ X, 1, 7 \}, where the mean of SS is also the median of SS. We are tasked with finding the product of all possible values of XX.

Step-by-step solution:

  1. Mean of Set SS: The mean (average) of a set is the sum of its elements divided by the number of elements. For the set S={X,1,7}S = \{ X, 1, 7 \}, the mean is: Mean of S=X+1+73=X+83\text{Mean of } S = \frac{X + 1 + 7}{3} = \frac{X + 8}{3}

  2. Median of Set SS: To find the median, we need to arrange the elements in increasing order:

    • If X1X \leq 1, then the order is {X,1,7}\{ X, 1, 7 \}, and the median is 1.
    • If 1X71 \leq X \leq 7, then the order is {1,X,7}\{ 1, X, 7 \}, and the median is XX.
    • If X7X \geq 7, then the order is {1,7,X}\{ 1, 7, X \}, and the median is 7.
  3. Condition: The Mean Equals the Median We need to find values of XX such that the mean is equal to the median in each case.

    • Case 1: X1X \leq 1
      In this case, the median is 1. Setting the mean equal to the median: X+83=1\frac{X + 8}{3} = 1 Solving for XX: X+8=3X=5X + 8 = 3 \quad \Rightarrow \quad X = -5

    • Case 2: 1X71 \leq X \leq 7
      In this case, the median is XX. Setting the mean equal to the median: X+83=X\frac{X + 8}{3} = X Solving for XX: X+8=3X8=2XX=4X + 8 = 3X \quad \Rightarrow \quad 8 = 2X \quad \Rightarrow \quad X = 4

    • Case 3: X7X \geq 7
      In this case, the median is 7. Setting the mean equal to the median: X+83=7\frac{X + 8}{3} = 7 Solving for XX: X+8=21X=13X + 8 = 21 \quad \Rightarrow \quad X = 13

  4. Possible Values of XX: The possible values of XX that satisfy the condition are X=5X = -5, X=4X = 4, and X=13X = 13.

  5. Product of All Possible Values of XX: The product of all possible values of XX is: (5)×4×13=260(-5) \times 4 \times 13 = -260

Final Answer:

The product of all possible values of XX is 260\boxed{-260}.


Would you like further details on any part of this solution, or have additional questions? Here are some related questions for practice:

  1. How do you calculate the mean of a set of numbers?
  2. What is the difference between the mean and median of a dataset?
  3. How would the solution change if SS had four elements instead of three?
  4. What are the general steps to find the median of a set?
  5. How does changing the value of XX influence the median?

Tip: When solving problems that involve both mean and median, carefully check how the median changes depending on the value of each element!

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Mean
Median
Algebra

Formulas

Mean of a set = (sum of elements) / (number of elements)
Median: middle value in an ordered set

Theorems

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Suitable Grade Level

Grades 8-10