Table of contents
- 1. Intro to Stats and Collecting Data55m
- 2. Describing Data with Tables and Graphs1h 55m
- 3. Describing Data Numerically1h 45m
- 4. Probability2h 16m
- 5. Binomial Distribution & Discrete Random Variables2h 33m
- 6. Normal Distribution and Continuous Random Variables1h 38m
- 7. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Mean1h 3m
- 8. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Proportion1h 12m
- 9. Hypothesis Testing for One Sample1h 1m
- 10. Hypothesis Testing for Two Samples2h 8m
- 11. Correlation48m
- 12. Regression1h 4m
- 13. Chi-Square Tests & Goodness of Fit1h 20m
- 14. ANOVA1h 0m
3. Describing Data Numerically
Mean
Problem 3.1.34
Textbook Question
Weighted Mean A student of the author earned grades of 63, 91, 88, 84, and 79 on her five regular statistics tests. She earned grades of 86 on the final exam and 90 on her class projects. Her combined homework grade was 70. The five regular tests count for 60% of the final grade, the final exam counts for 10%, the project counts for 15%, and homework counts for 15%. What is her weighted mean grade? What letter grade did she earn (A, B, C, D, or F)? Assume that a mean of 90 or above is an A, a mean of 80 to 89 is a B, and so on.

1
Calculate the average grade for the five regular tests. Add the grades together and divide by the number of tests: (63 + 91 + 88 + 84 + 79) / 5.
Multiply the average grade of the regular tests by their weight (60%) to find the contribution to the final grade: \( \text{Average of regular tests} \times 0.60 \).
Multiply the final exam grade by its weight (10%) to find its contribution to the final grade: \( 86 \times 0.10 \).
Multiply the project grade by its weight (15%) to find its contribution to the final grade: \( 90 \times 0.15 \).
Multiply the homework grade by its weight (15%) to find its contribution to the final grade: \( 70 \times 0.15 \).

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Weighted Mean
The weighted mean is a type of average where each data point contributes to the final average according to its assigned weight. In this context, different components of the student's grade (tests, final exam, project, and homework) have different weights that sum up to 100%. To calculate the weighted mean, multiply each grade by its respective weight, sum these products, and divide by the total weight.
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Percentage Weights
Percentage weights are used to express the relative importance of each component in a composite score. In this problem, the weights are given as percentages: 60% for regular tests, 10% for the final exam, 15% for the project, and 15% for homework. These weights determine how much each component influences the overall grade, reflecting their significance in the final assessment.
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Grading Scale
A grading scale is a system that translates numerical scores into letter grades, providing a qualitative assessment of performance. In this scenario, the scale is defined as follows: a mean of 90 or above is an A, 80 to 89 is a B, 70 to 79 is a C, 60 to 69 is a D, and below 60 is an F. This scale helps in categorizing the student's performance based on the calculated weighted mean.
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