ACT Math : Statistics

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Statistics

Janice, Candice, Sharon, and Helen have an average height of 65 inches. Janice is the shortest at 55 inches, and Helen is the tallest at 70 inches. What is the average height of Candice and Sharon?

Possible Answers:

62.5 inches

65 inches

67.5 inches

63.5 inches

68 inches

Correct answer:

67.5 inches

Explanation:

First we find the average height for Janice and Helen, (55 + 70)/2 = 62.5.   The average of the height for Candice and Sharon must complement this to achieve the overall average of 65. We can solve for their average by doing (62.5 + x)/2 = 65.

Solving this equation yields an average height of 67.5 inches.

Example Question #12 : Arithmetic Mean

Susan got a job at a store folding the display clothes. If she folds shirts during her whole eight-hour shift, except for her thirty-minute lunch break, Susan can fold 180 shirts. How long does it take her to fold one shirt?

Possible Answers:

25 seconds

160 seconds

150 seconds

2.5 seconds

250 seconds

Correct answer:

150 seconds

Explanation:

First you convert hours to minutes by multiplying 8 by 60, giving you 480 minutes. You then subtract her 30 minute lunch break, leaving you with 450 minutes. Then divide this by 180 shirts, giving you 2.5 minutes per shirt. Based on the available answer choices, you then multiply by 60 again to get the time in seconds, 150.

Example Question #13 : Arithmetic Mean

Sam earned $8/hour working three eight-hour shifts, Monday through Wednesday, at her waitressing job, and earned $9.75/hour tutoring five hours a day, Friday through Sunday. Approximately, what were her daily average earnings?

Possible Answers:

$56

$59

$49

$48

$58

Correct answer:

$56

Explanation:

First you multiply $8 by the eight-hour shift. Sam worked at her waitressing job, making $64. Then multiply that by the three days that she worked, making $192. You then multiply the $9.75 Sam made per hour by the five hours she worked by the three days she worked. This gives you $146.25. Add this to the earnings from her waitressing job, giving you $338.25. Divide this by the 6 days she worked, resulting in $56.38 a day.

Example Question #24 : Data Analysis

Hannah travels 321 miles on 12 gallons of gas. What is her mileage?  Round to the nearest mile per gallon.

Possible Answers:

18 mpg

25 mpg

23 mpg

27 mpg

35 mpg

Correct answer:

27 mpg

Explanation:

This is a division problem: 321 miles ÷ 12 gallons = 26.75 miles per gallon, which rounds to 27 mpg.

Example Question #12 : How To Find Arithmetic Mean

Derek's golf scores for 3 days were 77, 79, and 73. If his 4-day average was a 74, what was his score on the fourth day?

Possible Answers:

70

71

67

52

Correct answer:

67

Explanation:

(77 + 79 + 73 + x)/4 = 74

Solving for x yields 67.

Example Question #15 : Statistics

After four tests, Nick has an average of 88; what score does he need to have on the fifth test to raise his average to a 90?

Possible Answers:

98

88

90

100

87

Correct answer:

98

Explanation:

To have an average of 90, Nick has to have 450 points after 5 tests; with an average of 88 after 4 tests he has 352 points, which means that he needs a 98 on the fifth test to reach 450 points.

Example Question #11 : Arithmetic Mean

Find the arithmetic mean of the given set of numbers:

{0,12,10,8,15,5,20}

Possible Answers:

12

11

8.33

7

10

Correct answer:

10

Explanation:

The sum of this set of numbers is 70. There are 7 elements in the set, so 70/7 = 10 which is your mean.

Example Question #14 : Arithmetic Mean

Bryan earned $8/hr working a 6-hour shift each day, Tuesday thru Thursday, at his job as a server. He also earned $7.75/hr tutoring for a 2-hour shift each day, Friday thru Sunday. What were his daily average earnings for the 6 day period?

Possible Answers:

$31.75

$32

$30.75

$35

$31

Correct answer:

$31.75

Explanation:

We multiply the $8 by the 6 hours, and by the three 3 days that Bryan worked at his job as a server. 8 * 6 * 3 = 144

We then multiply the $7.75 an hour, by the 2 hour shift and by 3 days to get the total Bryan earned at his tutoring job. 7.75 * 2 * 3 = 46.50

We then add the totals: 144 + 46.50 = 190.50

Then divide by 6 days, getting an average of $31.75 per day.

Example Question #31 : Data Analysis

History class has three major exams that make up Joe’s grade.  If he scores an 88 on the first exam, an 86 on the second exam and a 96 on the third exam, what is his average grade on all three exams?

Possible Answers:

90

88

92

96

86

Correct answer:

90

Explanation:

Average or Mean  = Sum of the Options / # of Options

Average = (88 + 86 + 96) / 3 = 270/3 = 90

Example Question #15 : Arithmetic Mean

Find the mean: 8, 11, 17, 17, 18, 19, 22

Possible Answers:

\dpi{100} \small 15

\dpi{100} \small 17

\dpi{100} \small 14

\dpi{100} \small 18

\dpi{100} \small 16

Correct answer:

\dpi{100} \small 16

Explanation:

Finding the mean is the same thing as finding the average. First add all the integers together which yields 112. Then divide the sum by the number of integers, 6. 

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