Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Two sections of a school took the same test. The scores of each section are grouped in the same classes of width . The head teacher wants one mean for both sections together, but the two tables are all that is available, and the original marks have been thrown away.
| Score | Section A | Section B |
|---|---|---|
| 20-30 | 3 | 2 |
| 30-40 | 6 | 4 |
| 40-50 | 9 | 7 |
| 50-60 | 8 | 5 |
| 60-70 | 4 | 2 |
Find the mean score of Section A, of Section B, and of the two sections together.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Section A. . The class marks are and . , so . The mean is .
Step 2. Section B. . , so . The mean is .
Step 3. Together. There are students. Section A has and Section B has . The combined mean is .
Answer: for A, for B, and for the two sections together.
Check. Adding the frequencies class by class gives . Then , and .
Watch out. The combined mean is not the plain mean of the two section means. Section A has more students, so it counts more.
Log in to join the discussion.
Loading…
With equal class width , the step deviation is and
When a frequency is missing, write the mean as an equation in the unknown and solve it.