Identify the formula

The mean proportional of two numbers $a$ and $b$ is defined as the geometric mean, calculated as the square root of their product.

$\text{Mean} = \sqrt{a \times b}$

Substitute the values

Given $a = 49$ and $b = 16$, substitute these into the formula.

$\text{Mean} = \sqrt{49 \times 16}$

Calculate the square root

It is easier to take the square root of each factor individually: $\sqrt{49} = 7$ and $\sqrt{16} = 4$. Then multiply the results.

$7 \times 4 = 28$