Question

velma is examining the pollutants in waterways. she collects the data from 3 areas in the state. area 1 had a mean of 2832 and a standard deviation of 708. area 2 had a mean of 2778 and a standard deviation of 694.5. area 3 had a mean of 3986 and a standard deviation of 996.5. which area has the most consistent amount of pollutants? select the correct answer below:
○ area 2
○ area 1
○ area 3

Explanation:

Step1: Recall consistency and standard deviation

Consistency in data is related to the standard deviation. A smaller standard deviation means the data points are closer to the mean, so the data is more consistent. So we need to compare the standard deviations of the three areas.

Step2: List the standard deviations

• Area 1: Standard deviation = 708
• Area 2: Standard deviation = 694.5
• Area 3: Standard deviation = 996.5

Step3: Compare the standard deviations

Now we compare 694.5, 708, and 996.5. We can see that 694.5 is the smallest among them. Since Area 2 has the smallest standard deviation, it has the most consistent amount of pollutants.

Answer:

A. Area 2