Determine an Appropriate Measure of Center and Variability

The _________can be used to determine the median.

• line plot

• box plot

• histogram

Answer explanation

The histogram does not give you individual values.

The _________ is an appropriate measure of center for a data set that is not symmetrical and has outliers.

• Mean

• Median

Answer explanation

Outliers will affect the media and not give the best representation of the central tendency.

Which display would you prefer to use to determine the median?

• box plot

• line plot

• stem and leaf

Answer explanation

The box plot displays the median without having to do any calculations.

When using the mean to summarize the center, __________ should be used o describe the spread when the data is bell-shaped.

• IQR

• range

• standard deviation

The best description of the data is ​ ​ (a)   . ​ ​ The most appropriate measure of center is the​ ​ (b)   . The most appropriate measure of variability is the ​ ​ (c)   .

• range

• mean

• skewed left

• median

• IQR

• skewed right

• symmetric

• symmetric with an outlier

The best description of the data is ​ (a)   . ​ ​ The most appropriate measure of center is the​ (b)   . The most appropriate measure of variability is the ​ (c)   .

• range

• mean

• IQR

• median

• skewed right

• symmetric

• symmetric with an outlier

• skewed left

The best description of the data is ​ ​ (a)   . ​ ​ The most appropriate measure of center is the​ ​ (b)   . The most appropriate measure of variability is the ​ ​ (c)   .

• range

• mean

• skewed left

• median

• IQR

• skewed right

• symmetric

• symmetric with an outlier

Which measure of center should you use for the following data distribution?

• mean

• median

The best description of the data is ​ ​ (a)   . ​ The most appropriate measure of center is the​ ​ (b)   . The most appropriate measure of variability is the ​ ​ (c)   .

• range

• mean

• skewed left

• mean

• range

• skewed right

• symmetric

• symmetric with an outlier

The heights, in feet, of random samples of trees from three forests are shown. Move each measure into the table to identify which forest is expected to have the greatest measure of center and which forest is expected to have the greatest measure of variability based on the samples.

a

b

c

greatest measure of center

greatest variability

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