Final answer:
To determine the average number of messages arriving in 3 hours, multiply the hourly average (9 messages) by 3. The result is 27 messages.
Step-by-step explanation:
If messages arrive at an electronic message center at an average of 9 messages per hour, then the average number of messages that would arrive in 3 hours is simply 3 times the average hourly rate. So, to find this number, we multiply 9 messages/hour by 3 hours:
9 messages/hour Ă— 3 hours = 27 messages
Therefore, the average number of messages that arrive in 3 hours is 27.