Question 1: What is the main purpose of calculating the average (mean) in a set of data?

Answer: To find the typical value or central point of the data set, which helps summarize the data.

Question 2: A psychologist records the number of seconds it takes 10 students to complete a task. The times are: 30, 35, 32, 40, 33, 31, 36, 34, 38, 32. Calculate the mean (average) time.

Answer: Sum of times = 30+35+32+40+33+31+36+34+38+32 = 341. Mean = 341 ÷ 10 = 34.1 seconds.

Question 3: Describe what a 'range' tells us about a data set.

Answer: The range shows the difference between the highest and lowest values, indicating how spread out the data is.

Question 4: A survey asks 15 students how many hours they sleep each night. The results show most students sleep between 6 and 8 hours. What does this suggest about the data distribution?

Answer: It suggests the data is clustered around 6 to 8 hours, indicating a central tendency with less variation.

Question 5: Explain the purpose of a bar chart in presenting research data.

Answer: A bar chart visually compares different categories or groups, making it easy to see differences in data.

Question 6: A researcher finds that the scores of participants on a test are normally distributed. What does this mean about the data?

Answer: Most scores are around the average, with fewer scores at the extremes. The data forms a bell-shaped curve.

Question 7: Describe what a 'median' is and how it differs from the 'mean'.

Answer: The median is the middle value when data is ordered from smallest to largest. Unlike the mean, it is not affected by extremely high or low values.

Question 8: Draw a simple line graph representing the following data: The number of books read in a month over four months: January - 4, February - 6, March - 5, April - 7. (Use a large blank space for students to sketch).

Answer: A line graph with months on the x-axis and number of books on the y-axis. Points at (Jan, 4), (Feb, 6), (Mar, 5), (Apr, 7) connected with a line.

Question 9: Why is it important to use averages when analyzing data from psychological experiments?

Answer: Averages help summarize the data, making it easier to understand overall trends and compare groups.

Question 10: Identify one advantage and one disadvantage of using the median instead of the mean.

Answer: Advantage: The median is not affected by outliers or extreme values. Disadvantage: It does not take all data points into account, so it may be less representative of the overall data.