Question

The first Stat exam had a mean of 80 and a standard deviation of 4 points; the second had a mean of 70 and a standard deviation of 15 points. Reginald scored an 80 on the first test and an 85 on the second. Sara scored an 88 on the first but only a 65 on the second. Although Reginald's total score is higher, Sara feels she should get the higher grade. Explain her point of view.

Answer 1

Sara believes she should get a higher grade despite having a lower total score. She argues that her performance relative to the mean and standard deviation of the respective exams should be considered.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this scenario, Sara argues that she should get a higher grade despite having a lower total score. Her point of view can be understood by considering the difference in the means and standard deviations of the two exams.

The mean score of the first exam is higher (80) compared to the mean score of the second exam (70). Additionally, the standard deviation of the first exam is smaller (4) than that of the second exam (15).

Based on these factors, Sara believes that her higher score in the first exam (88) is more significant than Reginald's higher score in the second exam (85). She argues that her performance relative to the mean and standard deviation of the respective exams should be taken into account when determining the higher grade.