For 9 high-tech fields, the table provides data on all patent applicat

Question

For 9 high-tech fields, the table provides data on all patent applications filed with the European Patent Office in 2012 for innovations in that field. For each field, the table lists three quantities: the number of applications filed, the number of applicants, and the average (arithmetic mean) number of applications per applicant (rounded to the nearest 0.01). Each application was assigned to exactly one field.
    Field  
  Number of
applications  
  Number of
applicants  
  Average number of
applications per
applicant  
 
  Biotechnology 
 5309 
 1872 
 2.84 
 
  Computer technology 
 8288 
 1809 
 4.58 
 
  Digital communication 
 9592 
 806 
 11.9 
 
  Electrical machinery and energy technology 
 9799 
 2234 
 4.39 
 
  Engines, pumps, and turbines 
 5668 
 1213 
 4.67 
 
  Measurement 
 6428 
 2119 
 3.03 
 
  Medical technology 
 10412 
 3415 
 3.05 
 
  Organic chemistry and pharmaceutical 
 11366 
 3608 
 3.15 
 
  Transport 
 6633 
 1629 
 4.07 
 
   Total for the 9 fields  
  73495  
  18705  
  3.93

Each of the following options consists of a high-tech field and a quantity. For each option, select  Less than median  if, based on the given information, the value of the quantity for that field is less than the median for that quantity over the 9 fields. Otherwise, select  Greater than or equal to median .

Apt0810 · Answer

Arranging number of applications:

5309,5668,6428,6633,8288,9592,9799,10412,11366---Median is 8288(Computer technology)

Arranging number of applications:

806,1213,1629,1809,1872,2119,2234,3415,3608---Median is 1872 (Biotechnology)

Arranging the ratio:

2.84,3.03,3.05,3.15,4.07,4.39,4.58,4.67,11.9-- Median is 4.07(Transport)

So in the options :
For Computer technology it is the median of number of applications

For Digital communication, number of applicants
Organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, average number of applications per applicant they are less than median

Posted from my mobile device

bM22 · Answer

1. Computer technology, number of applications - The no. of applications in ascending order are: 5309, 5668, 6428, 6633,  8288 , 9592, 9799, 10412, 11366.
The median being 8288. Thus,
For Computer Technology the number of applications is  Greater than or equal to median .

2. Digital communication, number of applicants -  Less than median , since it can be directly inferred from the table that the no. of applicants for Digital Comm is the least (806), so definitely not the median.

3.Organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, average number of applications per applicant- Arranging the data in ascending order: 2.84, 3.03, 3.05, 3.15,  4.07 , 4.39, 4.58, 4.67, 11.90.
The median being: 4.07, which is of Transport, thus: 
The average number of applications per applicants for Organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals is: 3.15, which is:  Less than median

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

Computer technology, number of applications

The number of applications listed for the field of Computer technology is 8,288. When the values in the Number of applications column are in descending order, the middle (median) value for the nine fields is 8,288. Therefore, the number of applications for the field of Computer technology is equal to the median for the nine fields.

The correct answer is Greater than or equal to median.

Digital communication, number of applicants

The number of applicants listed for the field of Digital communication is 806. When the values in the Number of applicants column are in descending order, the middle (median) value for the nine fields is 1,872. Therefore, the number of applicants for the field of Digital communication is less than the median for the nine fields.

The correct answer is Less than median.

Organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, average number of applications per applicant

The average number of applications per applicant listed for the field of Organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals is 3.15. When the values in the Average number of applications per applicant column are in descending order, the middle (median) value for the nine fields is 4.07. Therefore, the average number of applications per applicant for the field of Organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals is less than the median for the nine fields.

The correct answer is Less than median.

shendashuai123 · Answer

This question is very easy, I got it correct in 1:40. First there're 9 fields so the median of each category lies on the 9/2=4.5=5 fifth row. Then you just have to sort them from low to high then compare the intended values with the median of each row.

playthegame · Answer

Yes this question is easy not sure how it is tagged as medium in the official guide for 2023.

werty_123 · Answer

Computer technology, number of applications - This should be less than median since half of 73k ~36.5k. 
Reason -
If one adds all up to computer tech, total comes to 32k.

shwetakoshija · Answer

Given:  A table listing 9 high-tech fields with the number of applications, number of applicants, and average number of applications per applicant for patent applications filed in 2012. 
 
 To Find:  For each field-quantity pair, determine whether that quantity for that field is: 
 
  < the median for that quantity across the 9 fields,   
  or ≥ to the median.

Solution:  
 Since there are 9 fields and hence, 9 values for each of the three quantities, the median is the 5th value when the values are sorted in ascending order. 
 
 Statement 1:  Computer technology, number of applications 
 
  Sort by “Number of applications” column to find the median (the 5th value).  
  Upon sorting, we notice that the 5th value is for the computer technology field itself.   
  So, Median no. of applications = the no. of applications for Computer technology.

We mark "Greater than or equal to median"

Statement 2:  Digital communication, number of applicants 
 
  Sort by “Number of applicants” column to find the median (the 5th value).  
  Upon sorting, we notice that the Digital communication comes as the 1st value (smallest number of applicants), that is, before the 5th position that represents the median.  
  Clearly, therefore, the no. of applicants for digital communication < Median no. of applicants

We mark "Less than median"

Statement 3:  Organic chemistry and pharmaceutical, average number of applications per applicant 
 
  Sort by “Average number of applications per applicant” column to find the median (the 5th value).  
  Upon sorting, we notice that " Organic chemistry and pharmaceutical" comes at the 4th smallest position, that is, before the 5th position that represents the median.   
  Clearly, therefore, the   average number of applications per applicant  for  Organic chemistry and pharmaceutical  < Median  average number of applications per applicant.

We mark "Less than median"

Correct Answers: Greater than or equal to median, less than median, less than median

Shweta Koshija  
  GMAT, GRE, SAT Coach for 10+ years

Adit_ · Answer

Important to not forget to read carefully even during time scramble. One says applications and one says applicants.

egmat · Answer

This question asks you to find the  median  for three different columns across the  9  fields, then compare a specific field's value to that median. With  9  values,   the median is always the 5th value when sorted in ascending order.

Statement 1: Computer technology, number of applications

Sort all  9  fields by number of applications (ascending):
 1.  Biotechnology:  5,309 
 2.  Engines, pumps, and turbines:  5,668 
 3.  Measurement:  6,428 
 4.  Transport:  6,633 
 5.  Computer technology:  8,288  (this is the median!)
 6.  Digital communication:  9,592 
 7.  Electrical machinery:  9,799 
 8.  Medical technology:  10,412 
 9.  Organic chemistry:  11,366

Computer technology's value of  8,288  IS the median, so it is equal to the median.
 Answer: Greater than or equal to median.

Statement 2: Digital communication, number of applicants

Sort by number of applicants (ascending):
 1.  Digital communication:  806 
 2.  Engines:  1,213 
 3.  Transport:  1,629 
 4.  Computer technology:  1,809 
 5.  Biotechnology:  1,872  (median)
 6.  Measurement:  2,119 
 7.  Electrical machinery:  2,234 
 8.  Medical technology:  3,415 
 9.  Organic chemistry:  3,608

Digital communication has  806  applicants, which is far below the median of  1,872 .
 Answer: Less than median.

Statement 3: Organic chemistry, average applications per applicant

Sort by average (ascending):
 1.  Biotechnology:  2.84 
 2.  Measurement:  3.03 
 3.  Medical technology:  3.05 
 4.  Organic chemistry:  3.15 
 5.  Transport:  4.07  (median)
 6.  Electrical machinery:  4.39 
 7.  Computer technology:  4.58 
 8.  Engines:  4.67 
 9.  Digital communication:  11.90

Organic chemistry's average of  3.15  is below the median of  4.07 .
 Answer: Less than median.

Key takeaway:  For each statement, you must sort a different column. The median of  9  values is always the  5th  value in sorted order.   Be careful  — the question says "Greater than or equal to median," so values exactly equal to the median fall in that bucket (as happened with Statement  1 ).

Answer: Greater than or equal to median, Less than median, Less than median

For 9 high-tech fields, the table provides data on all patent applicat

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Field	Number of applications	Number of applicants	Average number of applications per applicant
Biotechnology	5309	1872	2.84
Computer technology	8288	1809	4.58
Digital communication	9592	806	11.9
Electrical machinery and energy technology	9799	2234	4.39
Engines, pumps, and turbines	5668	1213	4.67
Measurement	6428	2119	3.03
Medical technology	10412	3415	3.05
Organic chemistry and pharmaceutical	11366	3608	3.15
Transport	6633	1629	4.07
Total for the 9 fields	73495	18705	3.93

Less than median	Greater than or equal to median
		Computer technology, number of applications
		Digital communication, number of applicants
		Organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals, average number of applications per applicant

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For 9 high-tech fields, the table provides data on all patent applicat

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