Answer:
- widest spread: Data set B
- center value: 5
Step-by-step explanation:
You want the data set with the widest spread and its center value.
Spread
The spread of a data set is the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value. For these data sets, the spreads are ...
- A: 4 - 1 = 3
- B: 7 - 2 = 5 . . . . . widest spread
- C: 9 - 7 = 2
- D: 3 - 0 = 3
Center value
When the values in data set B are arranged in increasing order, they are ...
{2, 3, 5, 6, 7}
The center value is 5.
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Additional comment
The middle value in the data set is the median. For data set B, it is 5. The center of the data set can also be represented by the mean, which is the sum of values (23) divided by their number (5). The mean of this data set is 4.6. Another way to represent the center of the data set is using the mean of the extremes: (2 +7)/2 = 4.5.
This data set (B) has a slight skew to the left, as indicated by the mean being lower than the median. Here, we chose the median as an appropriate representative of the center of the data. YMMV
The most appropriate center value may be different, depending on the intended use of it.
