anairamitch1804
If two elements are dropped from set X {-10, -8, 0, 6, 7}, what will be the percentage change in its mean?
(1) The median of the set will remain the same.
(2) The range of the set will decrease by 3.
Please help with above problem.
The average (mean) of set X is \(\frac{-10-8+6+7}{5}=\frac{-5}{5}=-1\)
(1) The median of set X will remain the same. This means that two elements that are dropped from X, one will be in {-10, -8} and one will be in {6, 7} so that the median of X will be 0.
If we drop -10 and 7, new set X'={-8, 0, 6} and the average is \(\frac{-8+6}{3}=\frac{-2}{3}\). The average changes.
If we drop -8 and 6, new set X''={-10, 0, 7} and the average is \(\frac{-10+7}{3}=\frac{-3}{3}=-1\). The average remains the same.
Insufficient.
(2) The range of X is \(7-(-10)=17\). The range of new set (or X') decrease by 3, or \(17-3=14\).
In set X = {-10, -8, 0, 6, 7}, there are only 2 elements that one is 14 greater than another: -8 and 6. Hence, we must drop -10 and 7 so X' = {-8, 0, 6} will have the range 14.
Now, if we know what new set is, we'll know the percentage change in its mean, does't matter how many. Sufficient.
The answer is B