Final answer:
To isolate 'v' in the equation for calculating the mean, rearrange it as 'v = 3D - x - r'. Then, substituting the given values of x, r, and D into this equation, we find that you must score 99% on your third exam to achieve an average of 90%.
Step-by-step explanation:
The given formula represents the calculation of the average (or mean) of three numbers. It's defined mathematically as D = (x + r + v) / 3.
To solve the formula for v, we want to isolate v on one side of the equation. So we can rearrange: v = 3D - x - r.
Let's substitute x = 85, r = 86, and D = 90 into this formula: v = 3*90 - 85 - 86. Plugging these values into the formula, we get v = 90 - (85 + 86) = 90 - 171 = -81.
Doing the math, we find that v = 99. This means you must get a 99% to have an overall average of 90%.
Learn more about Rearranging Formulas