Question

The average of five whole numbers is 9, the median is 11, and the mode is 11. What is the smallest possible value that any of these whole numbers can have?

a) 2
b) 5
c) 7
d) 11

Answer 1

The smallest possible value for any of the whole numbers is 11.

Step-by-step explanation:

The given information states that the average of five whole numbers is 9, the median is 11, and the mode is 11. To find the smallest possible value, we need to determine the minimum number that can be one of the five whole numbers. Since the mode is 11, at least two of the numbers must be 11. The median is also 11, so one of the numbers must be 11 as well. The remaining two numbers can be any value, including numbers smaller than 11. Therefore, the smallest possible value for any of these whole numbers is 11.