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A group of 18 students in Sydney recorded the mass (in kilograms) of their backpacks. The recorded masses are: 5.2, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.1, 7.3.
Construct a stem-and-leaf plot using the whole number part as the stem and the decimal part as the leaf.
What is the exact value of the median mass of the backpacks?
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Worked solution
- The data set contains 18 backpack masses in kilograms, recorded in Sydney. The values are: 5.2, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.1, 7.3.
- To construct a stem-and-leaf plot, the stem is the whole number part (kg), and the leaf is the decimal part (tenths of a kg). The stems range from 5 to 7.
- List the data in ascending order (already done). For stem 5: leaves are 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 (from 5.2 to 5.9).
- For stem 6: leaves are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (from 6.0 to 6.9).
- For stem 7: leaves are 1, 3 (from 7.1 and 7.3).
- The stem-and-leaf plot is now complete: 5 | 2 4 6 7 8 9; 6 | 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9; 7 | 1 3.
- To find the median, note that there are 18 data points (even number), so the median is the average of the 9th and 10th values in the ordered list.
- Count the values: 1st to 6th are in stem 5 (5.2 to 5.9). 7th to 16th are in stem 6 (6.0 to 6.9). The 9th value is the 3rd in stem 6: 6.2. The 10th value is the 4th in stem 6: 6.3.
- Calculate the average of the 9th and 10th values: (6.2 + 6.3) / 2 = 12.5 / 2 = 6.25.
- The median mass is 6.25 kg. This is exact because 6.2 and 6.3 are both measured to the nearest 0.1 kg, and their average is a terminating decimal.
- Verify: the 9th and 10th values are correctly identified as 6.2 and 6.3. Their sum is 12.5, and dividing by 2 gives 6.25.
- The median mass of the backpacks is 6.25 kg.
Reference answer: 6.25 kg
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