Calculating a mean

Erich Kriegler · 1 Dec 2013 at 20:23

Sorry for the homework question.

I've got a list of numbers I need to calculate the mean of but some of the results are have a ">" sign.

So >100 for example.

Is it possible to work out the mean when there ">" signs or should I just remove those results?

AshD93 · 1 Dec 2013 at 20:32

Without actually bothering to read it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/maths/statistics/measuresofaveragerev5.shtml

Might help.

Edit: Actually it's useless as >19 is 0 anyway.

Reaper 392 · 1 Dec 2013 at 20:32

Does it give any indication as to how much bigger than 100 they are? Theoretically they could be bigger than grahams number if they are just greater than 100.

gregorius · 1 Dec 2013 at 20:45

kcon1 said:
Sorry for the homework question.

I've got a list of numbers I need to calculate the mean of but some of the results are have a ">" sign.

So >100 for example.

Is it possible to work out the mean when there ">" signs or should I just remove those results?

Can I just check that you've got the question quite right? As others have said, you can't calculate a mean under the circumstances you've indicated. But, you may be able to calculate a median. You haven't perhaps misread "average" as implying "mean" have you?

Erich Kriegler · 1 Dec 2013 at 20:50

No it's definitely the mean. I'll have to try and get hold of the person who set these.

scorza · 1 Dec 2013 at 21:02

Might help if you gave us the full question, the link provided above by AshD93 is about estimating means which is slightly different to how you've described it.

areksnumbr1sxylady · 1 Dec 2013 at 22:53

Sounds like first year GCSE question....

Are they in table?