COMPARING DATA USING STEM-AND-LEAF DIAGRAMS SOLUTIONS

TASK 1

a Arrows

Range = 34 – 10 Mode = 28

= = 24

Median = 22 Mean = 260 ÷ 11 = 23.6 (1 dp)

Striders

Range = 41 – 19 Mode = 38

= 22

Median = 27 Mean = 336 ÷ 11 = 30.5 (1 dp)

The Striders had a higher mode, median and mean score than the Arrows, so scored better on
average.

The range for the Striders was lower than for the Arrows so their scores were more consistent.
TASK 2

a Draw a back-to-back stem-and-leaf diagram to show the data.

Girls Stem Boys

6 6 1 2 4 5 6
3 3 2 2 3 5 7 8 9 Key: 1|6 = 16 runs
9 8 7 5 3 3 5 7 8
9 4 2 4 0 1
6 6 5 9

Girls

Range = 56 – 16 Mode = 16, 23 and 56

= 40

Median = 37 Mean = 529 ÷ 15 = 35.3 (1 dp)

Boys

Range = 59 – 12 Mode = There is no mode

= 47

Median = 28 Mean = 439 ÷ 15 = 29.3

c There are 3 modes so this is not a very useful average to use for representing the data or
making comparisons.

d The girls had a higher median and mean, so they scored better on average.

The girls had a lower range, so their scores were more consistent than the boys’.

e The median is the better average to use as it is not affected by the outlier.