Three numbers have a mean (average) of 7 . The mode of these three numbers is 9 . What is the smallest of these three numbers?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
The mode is the number that occurs most frequently in a set of numbers.

The mode of the three numbers is 9 .

Thus, at least two of the three numbers must equal 9 otherwise there would be three different numbers and so three modes.

If all three of the numbers were equal to 9 , then the average of the three numbers could not be 7 .

Therefore, two of the three numbers are equal to 9 .

If the third number is $x$, then the three numbers are $x, 9$ and 9 .

Since the average of the three numbers is 7 , then $\frac{x+9+9}{3}=7$ or $x+18=21$, so $x=3$.

The smallest of the three numbers is 3 .

ANSWER: (C)

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