Question

The data are at the ordinal level of measurement.What is wrong with the given calculation?Identify the level of measurement of the data, and explain what is wrong with the given calculation.In a set of data, blood lead levels are represented as 10 for low, 20 for medium, and 30 for high. The average (mean) of the 595 blood lead levels is 25.4.A. One must use a different method to compute the average (mean) of such data.B. Such data should not be used for calculations such as an average (mean).C. The true average (mean) is 18.2.D. There is nothing wrong with the given calculation.

Answer 1

Answer: Blood lead levels are represented as 10 for low, 20 for medium, and 30 for high.

The average (mean) of the 595 blood lead levels is 25.4, assuming that each blood lead level is also known, then:

$A=\frac{\sum_i^{595}x_i}{595}=25.4\Rightarrow\text{ Average}\rightarrow(1)$

As (1) is the perfectly reasonable mathematical approach to calculating the average, however, the blood lead levels are reported in 10 20 30 levels only, therefore, the answer is:

$\text{ Such data should not be used for calculations such as an average \lparen mean\rparen}\Rightarrow\text{ Option\lparen B\rparen}$

Or the Option(B).