Final answer:
The best measure of center for Gretchen’s data set depends on the shape of the data. If the data is skewed, the median is preferred, while the mean is appropriate for symmetrical data. Based on the information, if the data is skewed right, the median (option B) is best, and the value is likely 9 (option b)
Step-by-step explanation:
The shape of Gretchen’s data can be described as either skewed left, skewed right, or symmetrical. To determine the best measure of center for this data set, we should examine the characteristics of the dataset provided. If the data are skewed right or skewed left, the median is usually the best measure of center to represent the typical value because it is not affected by outliers or extreme values. If the data are symmetrical, both the mean and median would be centrally located close to the mode, and either could serve as an appropriate measure of center.
Without knowing the exact shape of Gretchen's data, I cannot definitively choose between options A (Mean) or B (Median). However, based on the provided information, we can infer that when the data is skewed right, the median tends to be a better measure. Additionally, if the mean is higher than the median as pointed out in the information, that could indicate a right skew. As for the actual value, only option b (9) is a median value provided in the reference information, syncing well with a skewed distribution.