EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Earn 100

The lengths of extra-time, t minutes, played in the first and second halves of 100 football matches are summarised in the following table.

Extra-time (t min) t1 t2 t4 t5 t7 t9
First halves cf 24 62 80 92 97 100
Second halves cf 6 17 35 82 93 100

The first-half median is exactly 100 seconds.

Explain why the mean must be greater than the median for the extra-time played in the first halves.

Important Questions on Measures of Central Tendency

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

Eighty candidates took an examination in Astronomy, for which no candidate scored more than 80%. The examiners suggest that five grades, A, B, C, D and E, should be awarded to these candidates, using upper grade boundaries 64, 50, 36 and 26 for grades B, C, D and E, respectively. In this case, grades A, B, C, D and E, will be awarded in the ratio 1: 3: 5: 4: 3.

Using the examiners' suggestion, represent the scores in a cumulative frequency polygon and use it to estimate the median score.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

Eighty candidates took an examination in Astronomy, for which no candidate scored more than 80%. The examiners suggest that five grades, A, B, C, D and E, should be awarded to these candidates, using upper grade boundaries 64, 50, 36 and 26 for grades B, C, D and E, respectively. In this case, grades A, B, C, D and E, will be awarded in the ratio 1: 3: 5: 4: 3.

All of the grade boundaries are later reduced by 10%. Estimate how many candidates will be awarded a higher grade because of this.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

The values of x shown in the following table are to be represented in a bar chart.

x 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Frequency 2 5 9 10 9 5 2

Find the mode, mean and the median of x.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

The values of x shown in the following table are to be represented in a bar chart.

x 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Frequency 2 5 9 10 9 5 2

The two smallest values of x (i.e. 5 and 5) are changed to 21 and 31. Investigate the effect that this has on the mode, the mean, the median and on the shape of the curve.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

The values of x shown in the following table are to be represented in a bar chart.

x 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Frequency 2 5 9 10 9 5 2

If, instead, the two largest values of x (i.e. 11 and 11) are changed to -9 and b, so that the mean of x decreases by 1, find the value of b and investigate the effect that this has on the mode, the median and the shape of the curve.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
A histogram is drawn to illustrate a set of continuous data whose mean and median are equal. Make sketches of the different types of curve that could be drawn to represent the shape of the histogram.
EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

Students' marks in a Biology examination are shown by percentage in the following table.

Marks % 20- 30- 40- 50- 60- 70- 80-90
Frequency % 5 10 20 30 20 10 5

Without drawing an accurate histogram, describe the shape of the set of marks. What does the shape suggest about the values of the mean, the median and the mode?

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

Students' marks in a Biology examination are shown by percentage in the following table.

Marks % 20- 30- 40- 50- 60- 70- 80-90
Frequency % 5 10 20 30 20 10 5

Information is provided about the marks in examinations in two other subjects:

Chemistry: mode > median > mean

Physics: mean > median > mode

Sketch a curve to show the shape of the distribution of marks in each of these exams.