Final answer:
In a basketball 3-point shooting contest where only shots worth 3 points can be made, any total that is not a multiple of three is not possible.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question posed by the student pertains to a 3-point shooting contest in a game of basketball, where a player can only score in multiples of three. We are asked to determine which scoring total is not possible to achieve under these conditions. Since every basket made is worth three points, any total score must be a multiple of three.
To discover a score that cannot be achieved by the player, we need to consider numbers that are not multiples of three. It's simple to deduce that any number that is not divisible evenly by three is not possible to achieve. For example, scores like 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, etc., are not possible in a 3-point contest since these numbers are not multiples of three.
The student can confirm this by checking the divisibility of any questionable total by three. If the total score divided by three does not result in a whole number, then that score is not attainable in a 3-point shooting contest.