What is the median of the observations 4,5,7,x,2 ?

Expert replies

vinni.k: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 421; Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2011 4:27 amFollowed by: 2 members; Location: India; Thanked: 6 times; GMAT Score:620

by vinni.k » Tue May 29, 2012 8:04 am

What is the median of the observations 4,5,7,x,2 ?

(1). The average of the given observations is 4
(2). The mode of the given observations is 3

Answer is D

Hi All,

The above one is from prep company. So far in GMAT, i haven't encountered any question of statistics that mentions "mode." I am not sure whether this type "mode" is asked or not. However, if it is, then i don't know how to solve for mode. Please help on this one.
The (1) is simple and easy to get the value of x. (2) is out of my reach.

Thanks & Regards
Vinni

Like this post

Source: Beat The GMAT — Data Sufficiency | Tue May 29, 2012 8:04 am

mathewmithun: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 57; Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:02 am; Location: India

by mathewmithun » Tue May 29, 2012 9:10 am

vinni.k wrote:What is the median of the observations 4,5,7,x,2 ?

(1). The average of the given observations is 4
(2). The mode of the given observations is 3

Answer is D

Hi All,

The above one is from prep company. So far in GMAT, i haven't encountered any question of statistics that mentions "mode." I am not sure whether this type "mode" is asked or not. However, if it is, then i don't know how to solve for mode. Please help on this one.
The (1) is simple and easy to get the value of x. (2) is out of my reach.

Thanks & Regards
Vinni

Will try my best:

Statement 1 is simple and is sufficient to answer

Statement 2: Mode means number or numbers that appear most frequently. Since the question says 3 and from the given set 3 can appear at max once (when x=3), mode cannot be 3. In fact when x is not equal to 4,5,7,2 we have no mode. so statement 2 is contradictory according to me and So I will stick with A.

Like this post

vinni.k: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 421; Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2011 4:27 amFollowed by: 2 members; Location: India; Thanked: 6 times; GMAT Score:620

by vinni.k » Tue May 29, 2012 10:27 am

mathewmithun wrote:
Will try my best:

Statement 1 is simple and is sufficient to answer

Statement 2: Mode means number or numbers that appear most frequently. Since the question says 3 and from the given set 3 can appear at max once (when x=3), mode cannot be 3. In fact when x is not equal to 4,5,7,2 we have no mode. so statement 2 is contradictory according to me and So I will stick with A.

Nope, answer is D. Mode is confusing me.
Can anyone please explain this mode in detail ? and Does GMAT ask questions based on mode ?

vinni

Like this post

GMAT/MBA Expert

Brent@GMATPrepNow: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 16207; Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members; Location: Vancouver, BC; Thanked: 5254 times; GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Tue May 29, 2012 10:38 am

vinni.k wrote: Nope, answer is D. Mode is confusing me.
Can anyone please explain this mode in detail ? and Does GMAT ask questions based on mode ?
vinni

From the OG13:

The mode of a list of numbers is the number that occurs most frequently in the list.
For example, the mode of 1, 3, 6, 4, 3, 5 is 3.

A list of numbers may have more than one mode.
For example, the list 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 5, 7, 10, 10, 10, 20 has two modes, 3 and 10.

As you can see, there is no value for x that will give us a mode of 3 for the numbers 4,5,7,x,2

Are you sure you wrote the question correctly? What's the source?

Cheers,
Brent

Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com

Like this post

GMAT/MBA Expert

Brent@GMATPrepNow: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 16207; Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members; Location: Vancouver, BC; Thanked: 5254 times; GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Tue May 29, 2012 10:38 am

I have a feeling that statement 2 is supposed to read:

(2) The mode of the given observations is 2

In this case, the answer to the question would be D

Cheers,
Brent

Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com

Like this post

vinni.k: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 421; Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2011 4:27 amFollowed by: 2 members; Location: India; Thanked: 6 times; GMAT Score:620

by vinni.k » Tue May 29, 2012 12:22 pm

Brent@GMATPrepNow wrote:I have a feeling that statement 2 is supposed to read:

(2) The mode of the given observations is 2

In this case, the answer to the question would be D

Cheers,
Brent

Brent, thanks for your reply.

The source is "IMS max-prep"

I have checked the statement (2) again, and it is correct. The mode of the given observations is 3.

and the explanation given for statement (2) is - We know that the mode is 3 and hence to make the mode of the observations 3, x has to be equal to 3. Hence, this is also enough.

I am not sure what does this mean

Thanks
Vinni

Like this post

Post new topic Post Reply

• Page 1 of 1

GMAT Course Reviews

560 reviews

1168 reviews

431 reviews

359 reviews

147 reviews

5/5

5 Star (560 Reviews)

"Target Test Prep is the closest to the official version of the GMAT exam, about 99% accuracy in terms of the quality and quantity of information. The course has excellently created singular sets of focused lessons and tests for every possible topic that one could come across in the official GMAT exam."

"The TTP course maximizes the efficiency of the time you spend studying. It will take time and effort but I could almost guarantee that if you complete the course exactly as it is laid out you will get an amazing score. They also have a very responsive team willing to help with any questions you might have."

"TTP has two things that I think no other test prep company offers: A teaching approach that reinforces understanding and an attitude that will give you the mental preparedness needed to succeed on the test. TTP gives you a deep understanding of the concept you need to know while teaching you how to think."

Write a Review