1. The longest pencil is 8 inches and the shortest pencil is 2 inches. Therefore, the difference between the length of the longest pencil and the shortest pencil is 8 - 2 = 6 inches.
2. Pencils measuring less than 5 inches: 3 + 2 + 3 = 8 inches in total.
3. False. To determine if more than half of the pencils are 6 inches or shorter, we need to find the total number of pencils and calculate how many of them are 6 inches or shorter.
Total number of pencils = 4 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 7 + 8 = 27
Number of pencils that are 6 inches or shorter = 4 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 12
To find out if more than half of the pencils are 6 inches or shorter, we need to divide the number of pencils that are 6 inches or shorter by the total number of pencils and multiply by 100%:
12/27 x 100% = 44.44%
Since 44.44% is less than 50%, the statement is false.
4. There are three pencils that measure more than 5.5 inches but less than 7.5 inches: 6, 6, and 7. Therefore, the answer is 3 pencils.
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