The population mean for student applications is 214 thousand applications per semester, derived from the total applications divided by the number of semesters.
To calculate the population mean for student applications in thousands, we must add all the application numbers for the 12 semesters and divide by 12. This gives us the average number of applications per semester. The sum of student applications is 106 + 137 + 285 + 120 + 202 + 195 + 327 + 139 + 307 + 318 + 212 + 217, which equals 2,565. Therefore, the population mean is 2,565 divided by 12.
The population mean for student applications is 2,565 thousand applications divided by 12 semesters. This yields a mean of approximately 214 thousand applications per semester.