Final answer:
To earn a C in her math class, the student needs to score a 72 on her third test.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find out what score the student needs on her third test to earn a C in her math class, we can use the equation for average:
Average = (sum of scores) / (number of scores)
In this case, the average needs to be 75, and the student has already scored a 72 and an 81 on her first two tests. Let's represent the score on her third test as x. The equation becomes:
(72 + 81 + x) / 3 = 75
Multiplying both sides by 3 gives:
72 + 81 + x = 225
Combining like terms gives:
153 + x = 225
Subtracting 153 from both sides gives:
x = 72
Therefore, the student needs to score a 72 on her third test to earn a C in her math class.