5387957
In an obstacle race, the average time was calculated only from the \(42\) people who finished. Eight people who started did not finish.
May the organizer claim, “We measured the average performance of everyone who started”?
Hints
- Identify exactly which people were included in the data.
- Compare the analyzed group with the group named in the claim.
- A mean can describe only the values that were recorded.
Solution
1. The eight people who did not finish have no times in the calculation.
2. The analyzed group contains only successful finishers.
3. Therefore, the mean describes the \(42\) finishers, not all \(50\) starters.
4. The organizer's claim is too broad and must be limited to the finishers.
Answer
No. The mean applies only to the \(42\) finishers, not to all \(50\) people who started.
