Find the range of the following list of test scores. You may want to order each list first.
50, 60, 75, 85, 86, 86, 87.
Answer
87 – 50 = 37
Example 2
Find the range of the following list of test scores. You may want to order each list first.
98, 32, 60, 54, 78, 80, 54, 78, 77, 89.
Answer
98 – 32 = 66
Example 3
Find the range of the following list of test scores. You may want to order each list first.
60, 55, 76, 80, 84, 90, 78, 92.
Answer
92 – 55 = 37
Example 4
Everyone got the same letter grade on the test. Which of the following is more likely to be true?
(a) The range of the test scores was 5.
(b) The range of the test scores was 50.
Answer
(a) is more likely. If the range of the test scores was 5, then we could have the lowest score being 80 and the highest 85, or the lowest score 91 and the highest 96, etc. If the range of the test scores was 50, then we might have someone with a 40 and someone with a 90, and it's unlikely that they would score the same letter grade on the test unless they have a teacher with no concept of how to grade on a curve.