Question

What does it mean when the average state Verbal SAT score has a Q1 of 501?

A) It indicates that 25% of the students scored below 501 on the Verbal SAT.
B) It signifies that 75% of the students scored above 501 on the Verbal SAT.
C) It represents the highest Verbal SAT score achieved in the state.
D) It shows the average Verbal SAT score for all students in the state.

Answer 1

The Q1 of 501 indicates that 25% of the students scored below 501 on the Verbal SAT, not the average or highest score, nor does it imply that 75% scored above it.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the average state Verbal SAT score has a Q1 of 501, it means that 25% of the students scored below 501 on the Verbal SAT. Quartiles divide a rank-ordered data set into four equal parts, and the first quartile (Q1) corresponds to the 25th percentile, indicating that a quarter of the scores are below this value. In contrast, option B incorrectly suggests that 75% of students scored above Q1, which would be true for Q3, the third quartile. Option C is incorrect because Q1 has no relation to the highest score attained. Lastly, option D is incorrect, as Q1 is not an average but a specific point in the distribution of scores where the percentage of data below it is known.