sat suite question viewer
Each of the following frequency tables represents a data set. Which data set has the greatest mean?
Explanation
Choice A is correct. The tables in choices B, C, and D each represent a data set where the values and have the same frequency and the values and have the same frequency. It follows that each of these data sets is symmetric around the value halfway between and , or . When a data set is symmetric around a value, that value is the mean of the data set. Therefore, the data sets represented by the tables in choices B, C, and D each have a mean of . The table in choice A represents a data set where the value has a greater frequency than the value and the value has a greater frequency than the value . It follows that this data set has a mean greater than . Therefore, of the given choices, choice A represents the data set with the greatest mean.
Choice B is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.
Choice C is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.
Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.