Question

Jocelyn participates in three track events: the 200-meter sprint, the 400-meter hurdles, and the 800-meter run. She calculated the mean absolute deviation of her race times throughout the season in each event.

200-meter sprint: mean absolute deviation of 2.05

400-meter hurdles: mean absolute deviation of 2.82

800-meter run: mean absolute deviation of 1.9

In which event were her times the most spread out?

Answer 1

To determine in which event Jocelyn's race times were the most spread out, we can compare the mean absolute deviations of her times in each event. The mean absolute deviation (MAD) provides a measure of the average distance between each data point (her race times) and the mean of the data.

Here are the mean absolute deviations for each event:

- 200-meter sprint: MAD = 2.05
- 400-meter hurdles: MAD = 2.82
- 800-meter run: MAD = 1.9

The highest mean absolute deviation indicates the greatest spread or variability of race times.

Comparing the values:

- 200-meter sprint: 2.05
- 400-meter hurdles: 2.82 (highest)
- 800-meter run: 1.9

The 400-meter hurdles, with a mean absolute deviation of 2.82, is the event where her times were the most spread out.