Question
The mean and standard deviation of 15 observations were found to be 12 and 3 respectively. On rechecking it was found that an observation was read as 10 in place of 12 . If and denote the mean and variance of the correct observations respectively, then is equal to __________.
Answer: 2521
Solution
Solution
Key Concepts and Formulas
When dealing with statistical data, especially problems involving corrections due to errors in observation, a solid understanding of the fundamental definitions of mean and variance is crucial.
Step-by-Step Solution
Step 1: Calculate the Initial (Incorrect) Sums We are given the initial (incorrect) statistical measures:
Our first task is to determine the sum of observations () and the sum of squares of observations () based on these incorrect figures. These intermediate sums are necessary for making the corrections.
Step 2: Determine the Corrected Sums The problem states that an observation was incorrectly read as 10 instead of 12. To correct our statistical calculations, we must adjust both the sum of observations and the sum of squares of observations. For each sum, we subtract the value that was incorrectly included and add the value that should have been included.
Step 3: Calculate the Correct Mean and Variance With the corrected sums of observations () and squares of observations (), we can now compute the true mean ($$) and variance () for the observations.
Step 4: Evaluate the Required Expression We need to calculate the value of . This is where the key identity significantly simplifies the process.
Substitute the identity into the expression: Now, substitute the expressions for and $\sum x_i^2{n}$ using our corrected values:15(182{15} + 2339{15})We can factor out $1{15}$ from the terms inside the parenthesis:15 1{15} (182 + 2339)1 (182 + 2339)182 + 2339 = 2521 and , leading to a much cleaner and less error-prone computation.
Common Mistakes & Tips
Summary
The problem required us to find the value of an expression involving the correct mean and variance after an observation error. We systematically approached this by first calculating the initial incorrect sum of observations and sum of squares of observations. Following this, we performed the crucial step of correcting these sums by removing the erroneous data point's contribution and adding the correct one. Finally, using these corrected sums, we efficiently evaluated the target expression by leveraging the powerful identity , which significantly simplified the calculation and led us to the final integer answer.
The final answer is 2521.