Fluency · Pack B
8.12 Analysing Data
Answer each question. Show working where needed.
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Define "spread" in statistics in one sentence.
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For the data 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, find the (a) mean, (b) range.
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Describe the symmetry of a data set whose mean = median.
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Describe the skew of a distribution where mean > median.
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Describe the skew of a distribution where mean < median.
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Identify the outlier in the data 5, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 50.
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A dataset has mean 10. Describe what each tail represents.
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A uniform distribution has all values occurring at the same frequency. Sketch what this looks like.
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For the data 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, identify the symmetry.
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For the data 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, find the mean absolute deviation (MAD).
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For the data 4, 7, 8, 10, 15, find the (a) mean, (b) median, (c) MAD.
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Two classes' reaction times (ms) have means 200 and 210, ranges 50 and 30. Which class is faster on average and which more consistent?
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A dataset has the mean = 50 and median = 45. State the skew direction.
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For the data 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 30, find the median and explain whether 30 is likely an outlier.
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A test has marks 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 with mean 16. Compute the (a) MAD, (b) variance.
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Compare the spread of two data sets. Set A: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 (range 4); Set B: 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 (range 8). Which has greater spread?
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For a uniform distribution of values 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (each appearing once), find the (a) mean, (b) MAD.
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Class A vs Class B mean test marks: A = 75, B = 80; standard deviations: A = 10, B = 4. Which class is more consistent?
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A teacher says "the class average is 72, so most students scored around 72." Critique this statement.
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Two cricketers have batting averages: A 45, B 42. A's standard deviation is 25, B's is 8. Whose performance is more reliable?
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For the reaction-distance dataset (sorted): 10, 11, 11, 12, 12, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 17, 19, 20, 20, 21, 23, 28: find (a) Q1, (b) Q3, (c) IQR.
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Using Q1 = 12.5, Q3 = 19.5, find the lower and upper outlier fences ($Q_1 - 1.5 \cdot \text{IQR}$ and $Q_3 + 1.5 \cdot \text{IQR}$). Which values are outliers from a max 28 and min 10?
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Two boxplots: Class A min 8, Q1 12, median 15, Q3 18, max 25. Class B min 10, Q1 13, median 16, Q3 22, max 30. Which has (a) higher median, (b) larger IQR, (c) more skew?
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Suggest one inference about reaction times that can be drawn from a sample with mean 16 and median 16, vs one with mean 18 and median 14.
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A class of 30 has mean 75, range 40. A new student with score 100 joins. Find the new mean.
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Mean salary in company A is £50k with SD £5k; in company B mean £45k with SD £20k. Compare typical salaries.
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A class's 5-number summary is 10, 15, 22, 28, 50. (a) Compute IQR. (b) Identify any outliers using 1.5×IQR rule.
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In a survey of 1000 households, mean income $50k, median $40k. (a) State the skew. (b) Explain what this tells you about wealth distribution.
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A teacher's annual class mean tests have decreased from 75 to 65 over 5 years. Does this prove the teacher's teaching is getting worse? List two factors to consider.
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Two athletes record race times (s): A: 12.0, 12.2, 12.1, 12.3, 12.0. B: 11.8, 12.8, 11.9, 12.7, 12.0. Compare via mean and range.
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For the reaction-distance dataset, compute the standard deviation (use the formula $\sigma = \sqrt{\frac{\sum(x - \bar{x})^2}{n}}$). Mean = 16.25, n = 20.
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A class's mean is 16.25 and median is 15.5. After removing the largest value (28), the new mean is 15.63 and new median is 15. Discuss the robustness of mean vs median.
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Class A: mean 16.25 cm, sample of 20. Class B: mean 14.50 cm, sample of 30. Find the combined mean of all 50 students.
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A linear model fits reaction time (ms) = $-8a + 270$ where $a$ is age, fitted to ages 8-16. (a) Predict age 12 reaction time. (b) Explain why the model gives -50 ms at age 40, and the kind of error involved.
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Two boxplots: A (5-num: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30) and B (10, 12, 20, 28, 30). Both have median 20, range 20. Compare shapes.
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A teacher's test marks are: 65, 70, 72, 75, 80, 85, 90. Find Q1, Q3, IQR, and the 1.5×IQR fences.
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A reverse-percentage problem: in a survey, 65% of pupils said they "feel positive about school." 84 pupils said they did not feel positive. (a) How many surveyed? (b) How many felt positive?
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A class of $n$ students has mean test score 65. A new student with score 80 joins; new mean is 66.5. Find $n$.
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A 2-way table: 130 study French, 90 study Spanish, 50 both. School of 200. Find (a) only French, (b) only Spanish, (c) neither.
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A histogram has unequal-width bars: width 4 → freq 12; width 4 → freq 20; width 8 → freq 24; width 4 → freq 4. Find the densities and the modal bar.