The mean of $5,8$ and $17$ is equal to the mean of $12$ and $y$. What is the value of $y$?
To find the mean of a set of numbers, I need to add up all the numbers and divide by the number of numbers. So, the mean of $5,8$ and $17$ is $\frac{5+8+17}{3} = \frac{30}{3} = 10$. The mean of $12$ and $y$ is $\frac{12+y}{2}$. Since the means are equal, I can write an equation: $\frac{12+y}{2} = 10$. To solve for $y$, I can multiply both sides by $2$ and subtract $12$: $y = 2 \times 10 - 12 = 20 - 12 = 8$. Therefore, the value of $y$ is $8$. 