2013 AMC 10B Problems/Problem 3

Revision as of 16:17, 21 February 2013 by Mcr23 (talk | contribs) (Solution)

Problem

On a particular January day, the high temperature in Lincoln, Nebraska, was 16 degrees higher than the low temperature, and the average of the high and the low temperatures was $3\,^{\circ}\mathrm{}$. In degrees, what was the low temperature in Lincoln that day?

$\textbf{(A)}\ -13 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ \-8 \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ \-5 \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ \-3 \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ \111$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg)

Solution

Let $L$ be the low temperature. The high temperature is $L+16$. The average is $\frac{L+L+16}{2}=3$. Solving for $L$, we get $L=\boxed{\textbf{(C) } -5}$