Firefighter Practice Exam Prep: Free Practice Test & Study Guide

To find the score needed on the fifth exam for the applicant to achieve an average of 87%, we begin by calculating the total score required to reach this average for five exams.

First, we determine what the total score must be for five exams to average 87%. The average score is calculated by dividing the total score by the number of exams. Therefore, for an average of 87% over five exams, the equation is:

Total Score / 5 = 87%

To find the total score, we multiply 87 by 5, which equals 435. This means the applicant needs to accumulate a total of 435 points from all five exams.

Next, we sum the scores from the first four exams:

80 + 82 + 90 + 87 = 339

To find out what is needed on the fifth exam, we subtract the current total score from the desired total:

435 - 339 = 96

This calculation shows that a score of 96% on the fifth exam is necessary to achieve an average of 87%.

The correct answer is thus identified as 96%, as it satisfies the condition for the desired average.