Question

Which of the following is likely to have a mean that is smaller than the median?

A. the scores of students (out of 100 points) on a very easy exam, in which most scores are high but a few scores are low
B. the scores of students (out of 100 points) on a very difficult exam, in which most scores are low but a few scores are high
C. the prices of homes in a large city, where there are lots of relatively inexpensive homes and a few very expensive homes
D. the salaries of all National Football League players, where a few players make much more than most players

Answer 1

Answer: A. the scores of students (out of 100 points) on a very easy exam, in which most scores are high but a few scores are low

Explanation:

Mean and median are both measures of central tendency. But for the Mean to be smaller than the median, it suggests that the distribution is skewed left towards the lower numbers making the BULK of the data at the higher numbers. That's most of the data must be in the high numbers for the mean to be lower than the median. So, the scores of students (out of 100 points) on a very easy exam, in which most scores are high but a few scores are low is correct because only few score low while most of the scores are high.