High School

In a house where the radon concentration was known to be 10 pCi/L, the following four sets of measurements were made. Which set is the most precise?

1) Set A: 9.8 pCi/L, 10.2 pCi/L, 10.1 pCi/L, 9.9 pCi/L
2) Set B: 10.5 pCi/L, 10.3 pCi/L, 10.4 pCi/L, 10.6 pCi/L
3) Set C: 10.2 pCi/L, 10.1 pCi/L, 10.3 pCi/L, 10.2 pCi/L
4) Set D: 10.1 pCi/L, 10.2 pCi/L, 10.1 pCi/L, 10.3 pCi/L

Answer :

Final answer:

Set C and Set D have the smallest range of measurements, making them the most precise.

Explanation:

To determine which set of measurements is the most precise, we need to analyze the amount of variation in each set. The set with the least amount of variation is considered to be the most precise. Let's compare the sets:

  • Set A: 9.8 pci/l, 10.2 pci/l, 10.1 pci/l, 9.9 pci/l
  • Set B: 10.5 pci/l, 10.3 pci/l, 10.4 pci/l, 10.6 pci/l
  • Set C: 10.2 pci/l, 10.1 pci/l, 10.3 pci/l, 10.2 pci/l
  • Set D: 10.1 pci/l, 10.2 pci/l, 10.1 pci/l, 10.3 pci/l

By comparing the range of measurements in each set, we can determine which set has the smallest range:

  • Set A: Range = 10.2 - 9.8 = 0.4
  • Set B: Range = 10.6 - 10.3 = 0.3
  • Set C: Range = 10.3 - 10.1 = 0.2
  • Set D: Range = 10.3 - 10.1 = 0.2

Based on the ranges, Set C and Set D have the smallest range of 0.2, which indicates a higher level of precision compared to the other sets.