Question

which measure is most appropriate to describe the center of the data in the stem - and - leaf plot below? pounds of food collected 0 | 5 6 1 | 0 2 3 3 4 2 | 1 9 3 | 4 | 2 5 | 1

Explanation:

Step1: List the data values

The data values from the stem - and - leaf plot are 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 13, 14, 21, 29, 42, 51.

Step2: Check for outliers

Outliers can affect the mean. Values like 42 and 51 seem to be relatively far from the majority of the data.

Step3: Decide on the measure

Since there are outliers, the median is a better measure of the center than the mean as the median is not affected by extreme values.

Answer:

Median