Math: Problem Solving and Data Analysis
SAT Question of the Day for November 5, 2026
The ages of members of a hiking group are: . If the oldest member ( years old) is replaced by a new member who is years old, which of the following statements is true?
- A.Both the mean and the median decrease.
- B.The mean stays the same and the median decreases.
- C.The mean decreases and the mode changes.
- D.The mean decreases and the median stays the same.Correct answer
Explanation
The original sum of ages is , giving a mean of . Replacing with reduces the sum to , so the new mean is ; the mean decreases. The original sorted list has the 5th value (median) of . The new sorted list is , and the 5th value is still ; the median stays the same. The claim that both decrease is wrong because the median is unchanged. The claim that the mean stays the same is incorrect since the total decreased. The mode remains in both cases and does not change.
How to use this question
Try the question before you read the explanation: cover it, commit to an answer, and then compare your reasoning with the worked solution. If you missed it, note the step where your approach went wrong rather than only the correct letter, and look for that same step the next time you see a similar question.
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