The average weight of a class is 20 kg. If the strength of the class i

The average weight of a class is 20 kg. If the strength of the class is increased by 25%, then the average weight of the class gets increased by 1%. What is the average weight of the additional students ?

20.50 kg
21.00 kg
21.50 kg
22.00 kg
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CISF-AC-EXE – 2020
Let the initial strength (number of students) in the class be N.
The initial average weight is 20 kg.
The initial total weight of the class is $W_{initial} = N \times 20$ kg.

The strength of the class is increased by 25%.
New strength = $N + 0.25N = 1.25N$.
The number of additional students is $N_{add} = 0.25N$.

The average weight of the class gets increased by 1%.
Initial average weight = 20 kg.
Increase in average weight = 1% of 20 kg = $0.01 \times 20 = 0.2$ kg.
New average weight = $20 + 0.2 = 20.2$ kg.

The new total weight of the class is $W_{new} = (\text{New strength}) \times (\text{New average weight})$
$W_{new} = (1.25N) \times 20.2$ kg.

The total weight of the class after adding students is the sum of the initial total weight and the total weight of the additional students.
Let the average weight of the additional students be $W_{avg\_add}$.
Total weight of additional students = $N_{add} \times W_{avg\_add} = (0.25N) \times W_{avg\_add}$.

So, $W_{new} = W_{initial} + \text{Total weight of additional students}$.
$(1.25N) \times 20.2 = (N \times 20) + (0.25N \times W_{avg\_add})$.

We can divide the entire equation by N (assuming $N > 0$):
$1.25 \times 20.2 = 20 + 0.25 \times W_{avg\_add}$.

Calculate the left side:
$1.25 \times 20.2 = (5/4) \times 20.2 = 5 \times (20.2 / 4) = 5 \times 5.05 = 25.25$.

The equation becomes:
$25.25 = 20 + 0.25 \times W_{avg\_add}$.

Subtract 20 from both sides:
$25.25 – 20 = 0.25 \times W_{avg\_add}$
$5.25 = 0.25 \times W_{avg\_add}$.

Solve for $W_{avg\_add}$:
$W_{avg\_add} = 5.25 / 0.25 = 5.25 / (1/4) = 5.25 \times 4$.
$W_{avg\_add} = (5 + 0.25) \times 4 = 5 \times 4 + 0.25 \times 4 = 20 + 1 = 21$.

The average weight of the additional students is 21.00 kg.

– Average = Total Sum / Number of elements.
– Total Sum = Average × Number of elements.
– Conservation of total weight: The total weight of the combined group is the sum of the total weights of the original group and the added group.
This type of problem is common in topics related to averages and weighted averages. The increase in overall average weight indicates that the average weight of the added students must be higher than the original average weight of the class.