Question

This table shows the heights of 9 flowers in a garden.
Flower Heights
Flower
Height​ (inches)
A
15
B
5
C
1
D
2
E
7
F
7
G
2
H
1
I
5

Question content area bottom
Part 1
Which statement explains the measure of central tendency that will provide the
most descriptive information about the flower​ heights?
A.
The​ mean, median, and mode are all equally descriptive for this data set.
B.
The median is the best measure of central tendency for this data set because
there is one value that is much greater than the other values.
C.
The mode is the best measure of central tendency for this data set because it is
the most frequently occurring height.
D.
The mean is the best measure of central tendency for this data set because it
represents the average height.

Answers

GPT-4o mini
To determine which statement explains the best measure of central tendency for the given flower heights, we should consider the characteristics of the data set:

Flower Heights:
- A: 15
- B: 5
- C: 1
- D: 2
- E: 7
- F: 7
- G: 2
- H: 1
- I: 5

Now let's analyze each option:

### A. The mean, median, and mode are all equally descriptive for this data set.
This statement is likely not true because the presence of the outlier (flower A at height 15) can affect the mean significantly, while the median and mode will be less affected.

### B. The median is the best measure of central tendency for this data set because there is one value that is much greater than the other values.
This statement is indeed correct. The height of flower A (15 inches) is an outlier compared to the other heights, which skews the mean. The median would be less affected by this outlier and provide a better representation of the central tendency.

### C. The mode is the best measure of central tendency for this data set because it is the most frequently occurring height.
While the mode is important to consider, the mode here is 1 and 2 which occur more frequently compared to other values. However, it doesn't provide a comprehensive view of the overall heights.

### D. The mean is the best measure of central tendency for this data set because it represents the average height.
The mean would be skewed by the high value of flower A (15 inches) and may not accurately represent the majority of flower heights.

Given this analysis, **the correct answer is**:

**B. The median is the best measure of central tendency for this data set because there is one value that is much greater than the other values.**