Shortly after metric units were introduced in Australia, a group of 44 students was asked to guess, to the nearest meter, the width of the lecture hall in which they were sitting. The true width of the hall was 13.1 meters. Please find the mean of the data.
Guesses (Meters)
8,9,10,10,10,10,10,10,10,11,11,11,11,12
12,13,13,13,14,14,14,15,15,15,15,15,15
15,15,16,16,16,17,17,17,17,18,18,20,22
25,27,35,38,40
To find the mean of the data, you need to add up all the values and divide the sum by the total number of values.
Here's how you can calculate the mean:
1. Add up all the individual guesses:
8 + 9 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 11 + 11 + 11 + 11 + 12 + 12 + 13 + 13 + 13 + 14 + 14 + 14 + 15 + 15 + 15 + 15 + 15 + 15 + 15 + 16 + 16 + 16 + 17 + 17 + 17 + 17 + 18 + 18 + 20 + 22 + 25 + 27 + 35 + 38 + 40 = 808
2. Count the total number of values in the data set, which is 44.
3. Divide the sum (808) by the total number of values (44):
808 / 44 ≈ 18.36
Therefore, the mean (average) width of the lecture hall, based on the guesses of the 44 students, is approximately 18.36 meters.
Leah, just add them all up, then divide by 44.
I am not going to do that simple arithmetic for you.
By the way, wouldn't it be spelled metre in Australia ?
It is spelled meter only in the US