Chapter 1, Problem 4PT

To determine

To find:Actual median earthquake intensity from the sample.

Answer to Problem 4PT

(b) 6.00 is the correct answer.

Explanation of Solution

Given: Earthquake intensities are measured using device called a seismograph, which is designed to be most sensitive to earthquakes with intensities between 4.0 and 9.0 on the Richter scale. Measurements of nine earthquakes gave the following readings:

  $\underset{\_}{\overline{\text{4}\text{.5 L 5}\text{.5 H 8}\text{.7 8}\text{.9 6}\text{.0 H 5}\text{.2}}}$

Where L indicates that the earthquake had an intensity below 4.0 and an H indicates that the earthquake had an intensity above 9.0.

Formula Used:

Calculation:

The median earthquake intensity of the sample $\left(\text{L, 4}\text{.5, 5}\text{.2, 5}\text{.5, 6, 8}\text{.7, 8}\text{.9, H, H}\right)$

Here L indicates that the earthquake had intensity below 4.0 and h indicates that the earthquake had intensity above 9.0.

Conclusion:Therefore, (b) 6.00 is the correct option.