CHAPTER 8 MEASURES OF DISPERSION FOR UNGROUPED DATA

8.1 DISPERSION
Measures of dispersion tells us the degree of spread or scatter of the values of the
data. If the difference between the values is large, it indicates that the data is widely
dispersed and vice versa.
1. The data shows the heights, in cm, of 20 pupils.

140 142 144 138 148 Find the difference in height, in cm, of
the tallest pupil and the shortest pupil
128 130 155 170 172
172 – 128
137 140 146 143 162
= 44 cm
135 140 168 154 142

2. The data shows the number of books read by 20 pupils in a month.

10 12 14 18 18 Find the difference between the highest and the

lowest number of books read in a month.
18 10 15 10 12
Ans : 8
17 10 16 13 12

15 10 18 14 12

3. The dot plot shows the scores obtained by 12 pupils in a competition.

Find the difference between the highest

score and the lowest score in this
competition.
Ans : 5

4. The dot plot shows the marks obtained by a group of pupils in a Science quiz.
What is the difference between the highest
and lowest marks ?
Ans : 10

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COMPARE AND INTERPRET DISPERSION BASED ON THE STEM-AND-LEAF
PLOTS AND DOT PLOTS AND HENCE MAKE CONCLUSION
1. Construct a stem-and-leaf plot based on each of the following sets of data:
a) 25 36 47 33 49 26 19 26 48
Stem Leaf
1 9
2 5 6 6
3 3 6
4 7 8 9

b) 57 62 57 74 69 83 74 62 87 c) 257 266 256 274 256 265 248

65 71 63 52 80 65 77 68 66 268 270 243 266 260 259 244
267 257 261 277

2. Construct a dot plot for each of the following sets of data:

a) 17 15 14 18 15 15 17 18 16 15 14 17 16 15 14 18

b) 5.6 5.3 5.2 5.6 5.2 5.4 5.6 c) 120 110 120 110 100 130 140
5.3 5.2 5.6 5.5 5.4 5.3 5.2 120 140 130 150 140 120 130
5.2 5.6 5.4 5.3 5.6 5.5 130 120 110 150

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3. Diagram below is a stem-and-leaf plot showing the LDL cholesterol levels, in
milligram per decilitre (mg/dl), of two groups of adults, A and B.

a) Adults with a cholesterol level of at most 125 mg/dl are said to have an ideal level
of cholesterol. How many people in each group, have an ideal level of cholesterol?
Ans: A = 8, B = 9
b) Adults with a cholesterol level between 165 mg/dl and 189 mg/dl are categorised
to have a high level of cholesterol. How many people, in each group, have a high
level of cholesterol?
Ans : A = 7, B = 3
c) Adults with a cholesterol level of 190 mg/dl and above are said to have a very high
level of cholesterol. What is the percentage of adults, from both groups, that belong
to this category?
Ans : 7.813%

d) By comparing the two groups, which group has more adults with a higher level of
cholesterol? Suggest a possible reason for your answer.

4. The dot plots show the lifespan, in hours, of two brands of bulbs,
S and T.

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a) Calculate the mean of the lifespan, in hours, for both brands of the bulbs.
Ans: S = 76.5, T = 101.5

b) Compare the dispersion of the lifespan with the mean for both brands of the bulbs

c) Make a conclusion on which is a better brand of bulb.

5. The stem-and-leaf plots show the prices, in RM, of 12 compact discs sold in Kedai
Muzika and Kedai Irama.

a) Calculate the mean price of a compact disc in Kedai Muzika and Kedai Irama.
Ans : Muzika = RM33.50, Irama = RM53.50

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b) Compare the dispersion of the prices from the mean for the compact discs sold in
Kedai Muzika and Kedai Irama.

c) Which shop sells compact disc at a cheaper price? State your reason.

8.2 MEASURES OF DISPERSION

Types of measures of dispersion:
a) Range b) interquartile range c) variance d) standard deviation
RANGE = Largest value – Smallest value
1. Find the range of each of the following set of data.

a) 2, 12, 11, 8, 10, 1 b) 2.8, 1.2, 2.4, 9.0, 1.4, 3.1

Ans : 11 Ans : 7.8

c) 60, 35, 304, 80, 108, 120 d) 5, 18, 9, 20, 24, 16

Ans : 269 Ans : 19

2. Find the range of each of the following set of data.

a) b)
Size of 5 6 7 8 9 Marks 80 85 90 95 100
shoes Number 6 8 7 5 2
Number 3 8 4 3 2 of
of pupils
pupils

Ans : 4 Ans : 20
c) d)
Age 13 14 15 16 17 Mass 56 58 60 62 64
(years) (kg)
Number 10 8 12 15 5 Number 5 3 9 4 5
of of
pupils pupils

Ans : 4 Ans : 8

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INTERQUARTILE RANGE = Third Quartile, Q3 – First Quartile, Q1
1. Find the interquartile range of each of the following set of data.

a) 8, 4, 5, 12, 3, 16, 4, 11, 10, 14, 3, 4

Ans : 7.5
b) 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 18

Ans : 8
c) 1.3, 1.1, 1.4, 9.2, 1.4, 3.2, 7.8, 1.9, 2.2

Ans : 4.15

d) 12, 16, 14, 12, 18, 13, 20, 15, 16, 12, 13, 15

Ans : 3.5

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2. Find the interquartile range of each of the following set of data.

a)
Score 1 2 3 4 5 6
No of 4 5 7 8 10 6
pupils
Cumulative
frequency

Ans : 2
b)
Time 1 2 3 4 5 6
(hours)
No of 5 6 7 3 5 6
pupils
Cumulative
frequency

Ans : 3
c)
Money 0 1 2 3 4 5
(RM)
No of 2 8 10 15 12 10
pupils
Cumulative
frequency

Ans : 2

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d)
Score 5 10 15 20 25 30
No of 7 5 6 4 8 7
pupils
Cumulative
frequency

Ans : 15

 ( x − x)
2

or  2 =  x − x 2, x = meanof data
2
Variance, 2=
N N

( )
2
 x− x  x2
Standard deviation,  = or  = −x 2
N N
1. Calculate the variance and standard deviation of the following sets of data.

a) 9, 12, 14, 20, 35

Ans : Variance = 85.2,

Std. deviation = 9.23
b) 1.6, 1.8, 2.3, 2.5, 2.8, 3.4

Ans : Variance = 0.3633,

std. deviation = 0.6028

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c) 142, 144, 148, 149, 153, 156, 157, 163, 165

Ans : Variance = 56.89,

Std. deviation = 7.542
d) 6.1, 6.3, 6.3, 6.5, 7.2, 7.4, 7.8

Ans : Variance = 0.3714,

Std. deviation = 0.6094

If the ungrouped data is given in a frequency table, then

 fx
x=
f

( )
2
 f x−x  fx 2 2
2= = −x
f f

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2. Calculate the variance and standard deviation of the following sets of data.
a)

Points 0 1 2 3 4
Frequency 3 5 4 3 1

Ans : Variance = 1.359, Std. deviation = 1.166

b)

Age 13 14 15 16 17
Frequency 21 18 25 16 20

Ans : Variance = 1.978, Std. deviation = 1.407

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c)

Mass (kg) 40 50 60 70 80
Frequency 4 15 11 13 7

Ans : Variance = 143.36, Std. deviation = 11.97

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VARIOUS MEASURES OF
DISPERSION
Range – easy to calculate but affected by extreme or outlier values
Interquartile range not affected by extreme values
Standard deviation is usually used to compare 2 sets of data.
Small standard deviation implies the values of the data is closed to the mean and
vice versa.

1. The data shows the marks obtained by Kavya and Jia Mei in a competition.
Kavya: 74, 75, 76, 77, 77, 86 Jia Mei : 70, 71, 73, 75, 78, 80, 82
i) Calculate the range and interquartile range of Kavya’s and Jia Mei”s marks

Ans : Kavya :Range = 12, Interquartile range = 2

Jia Mei : Range = 12, interquartile range = 9

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ii) Describe the dispersion of Karya’s and Jia Mei’s marks.

iii) What is the advantage of describing dispersion using interquartile range?

2. The data shows the masses, in kg, of two groups of students.

Group A: 41, 43, 44, 47, 50, 52, 54, 55
Group B: 43, 51, 52, 53, 54, 54, 55, 57
i) Calculate the range and interquartile range of the masses of both groups.
Ans : Range A = 14, Range B =14,
Interquartile range A = 9.5, Interquartile range B = 3

ii) Describe the dispersion of masses of both groups.

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iii) Does the range or interquartile range describes the dispersion of both masses
accurately. Give your reason.

3. Syafiq’s daily expenses are RM1.80, RM1.90, RM2.20, RM2.40, RM2.40, RM2.50,
RM2.60 and RM2.80.
i) Calculate the interquartile range, variance and standard deviation of Syafiq’s daily
expenses.
Ans : RM0.50, 0.1019, 0.3192

ii) State the most appropriate measure of dispersion to be used to show the
distribution of Syafiq’s daily expenses.

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4. The heights of young plants in a nursery are 11.0 cm, 10.7 cm, 11.3 cm, 10.9 cm,
10.2 cm, 11.9 cm, 10.6 cm, 11.5 cm and 11.3 cm
i) Calculate the interquartle range, variance and standard deviation of the above
data.
Ans : 0.75, 0.2358, 0.4856

ii) Determine the most appropriate measure of dispersion to be used to show the
distribution of the heights of the young plants.

CONSTRUCT AND INTERPRET THE BOX PLOT FOR UNGROUPED DATA

A box plot is a graphical display of data based on 5 values: minimum value,
lower(first) quartile, median, upper(third) quartile and the maximum value.
Box plots may have lines extending from the box called whiskers. Whiskers indicate
variability outside the upper and lower quartiles. Hence box plots are sometimes
known as box-and-whiskers plot. Outliers may be plotted as individual points.

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1. Construct a box plot for each of the following set of data.
a) 30 95 35 70 35 45 90 50 40 50 30 100 55 75 35 85 60 85 65
Min value = 30 Max value = 100 Median = 55 Q1 = 35 Q3 = 85

b) 10 15 25 26 27 31 33 35 36 36 37 38 40 42 45

c) 0 3 5 15 30 30 45 50 50 60 75 110 140 240 300

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d) 56 75 80 63 72 60 91 78 50 70 95 53 98 55 89 85 93 88 67

2. State a) median b) first quartile c) third quartile d) interquartile range

e) minimum value f) maximum value for each of the following box plots.

i)

a) median = b) first quartile = c) third quartile =

d) interquartile =
range e) min value = f) max value =

ii)

a) median = b) first quartile = c) third quartile =

d) interquartile =
range e) min value = f) max value =

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iii)

a) median = b) first quartile = c) third quartile =

d) interquartile =
range e) min value = f) max value =

EFFECT OF DATA CHANGES ON MEASURES OF DISPERSION

A) Each data is changed by adding or subtracting or multiplying or dividing a
constant

1. A list of numbers is given: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Complete the table below to find the range, interquartile range, variance and
standard deviation.
Number (y) Range Interquartile Variance Standard
Range deviation
y 1 2 3 4 5

y+ 3

yx3

Conclusion:

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B) The existence of outlier values in the data

Number (x) Range Interquartile Variance Standard

Range deviation
x 1 2 3 4 5 14

New range :
New interquartile range :
New variance :
New standard deviation :
COMPARE AND INTERPRET UNGROUPED DATA BASED ON THE
APPROPRIATE MEASURES OF DISPERSION AND HENCE MAKE A
CONCLUSION
Student Marks
1. The table shows the test marks of two students. P 68, 73, 62, 79
Q 72, 65, 59, 86

i) Calculate the mean and standard deviation of students P and Q

MeanP = 70.5, MeanQ = 70.5

 P = 6.265, Q =10.06

ii) Which student’s performance is more consistent? Explain your answer.

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2. Table below shows the results of rugby games obtained by two teams in 10
matches.

Red Team 67 66 65 68 60 71 69 61 70 60
Blue Team 64 63 64 65 64 71 65 66 70 65
i) Calculate the mean and standard deviation of both teams
MeanR = 65.7, MeanB = 65.7

 R = 3.9,  B = 2.532

ii) Which team’s performance is better? Explain your answer.

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3. The box plot shows the number of customers of a franchise restaurant in three
different locations.

i) Arrange the medians of the number of customers for the locations of the
restaurants in ascending order.

ii) If the number of data is the same, which location shows majority of their
customers are more than 275? Explain your answer.

iii) The franchise restaurant has to close one of its branches due to the economic
downturn. In your opinion, which branch needs to stop its’ operation. Give a reason
for your answer.

4. a) The table shows the sum and the sum of squares of x, where x is the monthly
income, in RM, of Encik Rosli for the first eight months in 2019.
i) Find the variance and standard deviation of x RM20 000
Encik Rosli’s monthly income.  x2 RM50 385 000

 2 = 48 125,  = 219.37

ii) If his child gives him RM 600 each month for a period of time, find the new
variance and standard deviation.

 2 = 48 125,  = 219.37

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5. The table shows the marks obtained by Adrian and Bryan in five sets of
Mathematics questions.

Set 1 2 3 4 5
Adrian 85 96 94 88 87
Bryan 82 93 96 95 84
Mr Phang wants to choose one of them to represent the school in a Mathematics
competition. Who is the most qualified to represent the school?

6. A set of data 20, 16, 4, 12, 20, 28, a and b has a mean of 20 and a variance of 84.
Calculate the value of a and b if b < a.
Ans: b = 24, a = 36

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7. The bar chart below shows the number of participants according to their age in a
colouring competition between two schools.

i) Based on your observation, which school has a wider dispersion.

ii) Find the mean of the participant’s age in each school.

Means = 10, MeanT = 10

iii) Calculate the standard deviation of the participant’s age in each school. Do the
standard deviation values concur with your observation in (i)?

 s =1.719,  T =1.211

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