Waldemar Florczak

Set 1 – Measures of central tendency and location

Problem 1. (Example 1.6 from McClave & Sincich)

Psychologists at the University of Tennessee carried out a study of the susceptibility of people to
hypnosis. In a random experiment 130 undergraduate psychology students at the university, each
experienced both traditional hypnosis and computer-assisted hypnosis. Approximately half were
randomly assigned to undergo the traditional procedure first, followed by the computer-assisted
procedure. The other half were randomly assigned to experience computer-assisted hypnosis first, then
traditional hypnosis. Following the hypnosis episodes, all students filled out questionnaires designed to
measure a student’s susceptibility to hypnosis. The susceptibility scores of the two groups of students
were compared.

a) Describe the variable of interest.

b) Describe the sample.
c) What is the target population?
d) Is the sample representative of the target population?

Problem 2.
Say, we have complete electoral results in a big two-million capital city of a 100-million country. Is this
data a sample or a population?

Problem 3.
Imagine, you – present here at the classes of statistics – are asked to answer a question concerning some
issue (say capital punishment). What can be said about the results obtained?

a) Can they describe a population? What population?

b) Can they be called a sample? A sample of what population?
c) Is this sample reliable to describe the above-mentioned population? Why?

Exercise 1.

Formulas:
Arithmetic mean for individual data

𝑥$ + 𝑥& + ⋯ + 𝑥( ∑, 𝑥 𝑥̅ − arithmetic mean
+-$ +
𝑥̅ =
𝑁
=
𝑁 N – total number of observations
𝑥+ − values of individual data

In a family of four the average monthly salary is 1300 euros. What is the mother’s salary if the other
family members earn as follows: father: 1500 euros, son: 1300 euros, and daughter: 1200 euros?
Exercise 2.

Formulas:
Arithmetic mean for grouped data
𝑥̅ − arithmetic mean
n − total number of observations
𝑥0̇ − midpoint of the class (it is adding the class
∑3+-$ 𝑥0̇ 𝑛+
𝑥̅ = limits divided by 2)
𝑛 𝑛+ − frequency
k − number of the classes

Median for grouped data
𝑥5 − the lower boundary of the class median
𝑛5 − the frequency of the class median
𝑛 (number of observations in the class median)
− 𝐹5 𝐹5 − the cumulative frequency before class
𝑀 = 𝑥5 + 2 × 𝑖5 median
𝑛5
𝑛 − total number of observations
𝑖5 − the median class width

An enterprise employs 100 workers, none of whom have worked there for less than 5 and longer than
20 years. 10 workers have lower than 10-year job experience, whereas 70 workers have job experience
between 10 and 15 years. What is the average job experience of a worker? Is it true that 50% of the total
number of workers have worked there for at least 15 years?

Exercise 3.

Formulas:
Median for grouped data
𝑥5 − the lower boundary of the class median
𝑛5 − the frequency of the class median
𝑛 (number of observations in the class median)
− 𝐹5 𝐹5 − the cumulative frequency before class
𝑀 = 𝑥5 + 2 × 𝑖5 median
𝑛5
𝑛 − total number of observations
𝑖5 − the median class width

Out of 100 students taking an exam in statistics 45 scored between 45-60 points. 50% of the students
scored below 55 points. Based on this information, estimate how many students passed the exam if this
called for scoring at least 45 points.

Exercise 4.

Median of earnings of 1200 seasonal workers on a big farm is 520 euros and it drops into 500-550 euros
interval. Besides, it is 200 workers that falls into this interval. How many workers earn less than 500
euros?
Exercise 5.

Formulas:
Mode for grouped data
𝑥5; − the lower boundary of the class mode
𝑖5; − the mode class width
𝑛5; − 𝑛5;<= 𝑛5; − the frequency of the class mode (number
𝑀: = 𝑥5; +
(𝑛5; − 𝑛5;<= ) + (𝑛5; − 𝑛5;@= ) of observations in the class mode)
× 𝑖5; 𝑛5;<= − the frequency of the class before mode
𝑛5;@= − the frequency of the class after mode

Flats of 48-54 m2 predominate in a housing cooperative accounting for 30% of the total stock of flats.
Most of the flats are 50 m2 big. 20% of the total number of flats are 42-48 m2 big. What is the percent
of flats of 54-60 m2?

Exercise 6.

Formulas:
Arithmetic mean for grouped data
𝑥̅ − arithmetic mean
n − total number of observations
𝑥0̇ − midpoint of the class (it is adding the class
∑3+-$ 𝑥0̇ 𝑛+
𝑥̅ = limits divided by 2)
𝑛 𝑛+ − frequency
k − number of the classes

Median for grouped data
𝑥5 − the lower boundary of the class median
𝑛5 − the frequency of the class median
𝑛 (number of observations in the class median)
− 𝐹5 𝐹5 − the cumulative frequency before class
𝑀 = 𝑥5 + 2 × 𝑖5 median
𝑛5
𝑛 − total number of observations
𝑖5 − the median class width

Mode for grouped data
𝑥5; − the lower boundary of the class mode
𝑖5; − the mode class width
𝑛5; − 𝑛5;<= 𝑛5; − the frequency of the class mode (number
𝑀: = 𝑥5; +
(𝑛5; − 𝑛5;<= ) + (𝑛5; − 𝑛5;@= ) of observations in the class mode)
× 𝑖5; 𝑛5;<= − the frequency of the class before mode
𝑛5;@= − the frequency of the class after mode

The following deposits were banked in a certain bank branch last month:
a) the lowest deposit was 150 euros,
b) deposits below 550 amounted to 17,500 euros,
c) deposits from 550 to 950 euros added up to 127,500 euros,
d) deposits higher than 1350 euros amounted to 77,500 euros,
 e) the highest deposit was 1750 euros,
f) total value of deposits was 487,000 euros.
What was the average deposit? What was the mode? Which of the two prevail: deposits below or above
the mean deposit?

Exercise 7.

Formulas:
Relationship between classical and location measures of central tendency
𝑥̅ − arithmetic mean
𝑥̅ − 𝑀: ≈ 3(𝑥̅ − 𝑀) 𝑀: − mode
𝑀 − median

Every other worker got a bonus lower than 1000 euros. The average bonus was 1020 euros. How high
was the most prevalent bonus in that firm?

Exercise 8.

Formulas:
First Quartile for grouped data
𝑥D= − the lower boundary of the first quartile
𝑛D= − the frequency of the first quartile
𝑛 𝐹D= − the cumulative frequency before first
− 𝐹D=
𝑄$ = 𝑥D= + 4 × 𝑖D= quartile
𝑛D= 𝑛 − total number of observations
𝑖D= − the first quartile class width

Job experience of employees in a certain office is as follows:

Job experience Number of employees
10-20 30
5-10 40
2-5 30
Soon 25% of the total staff with the lowest job experience will have to be fired. What is the threshold
age of those to be fired?

Exercise 9.
Half of employees in a certain firm earn more than 900 euros. 20% of the total number of employees
earn between 800 and 1000 euros. What percent of employees earn more than 1000 euros?

Exercise 10.
It follows from research into the impact of advertising upon the consumer that commercials that last
more than 40 seconds are of no impact because instead of coaxing a would-be consumer they put them
off. What percent of commercials put the consumer off if we know that every fourth commercial lasts
more 35 seconds, whereas 20% of the total number of commercials last 30-40 seconds?