Final answer:
The best estimate for the difference in average grades between students who study mixed problems and those who study one topic at a time is 39 points, with mixed practice students scoring higher.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best estimate for the difference in the average grade between fourth-grade students who study mixed problems and those who study each equation independently is found by subtracting the average grade of the one-at-a-time group from the average grade of the mixed practice group.
Average grade of the mixed practice group = 77
Average grade of the one-at-a-time group = 38
To find the difference, we do the following calculation:
77 (mixed practice) - 38 (one-at-a-time) = 39.
Therefore, the best estimate for the difference in the average grades is 39 points.