MCQMediumJEE 2024Measures of Dispersion

JEE Mathematics 2024 Question with Solution

If the variance of the frequency distribution is 160160, then the value of cNc \in \mathbb{N} is:

  • A

    55

  • B

    88

  • C

    77

  • D

    66

Answer

Correct answer:C

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: The frequency distribution has values c,2c,3c,4c,5c,6cc, 2c, 3c, 4c, 5c, 6c with corresponding frequencies 2,1,1,1,1,12,1,1,1,1,1, and the variance is 160160.

Find: The natural number cc.

Using the variance formula for a frequency distribution,

Variance=fx2f(fxf)2\text{Variance} = \frac{\sum f x^2}{\sum f} - \left(\frac{\sum f x}{\sum f}\right)^2

From the table,

f=2+1+1+1+1+1=7\sum f = 2+1+1+1+1+1 = 7 fx=2c+2c+3c+4c+5c+6c=22c\sum fx = 2c + 2c + 3c + 4c + 5c + 6c = 22c fx2=2c2+4c2+9c2+16c2+25c2+36c2=92c2\sum f x^2 = 2c^2 + 4c^2 + 9c^2 + 16c^2 + 25c^2 + 36c^2 = 92c^2

Substitute these into the variance formula:

160=92c27(22c7)2160 = \frac{92c^2}{7} - \left(\frac{22c}{7}\right)^2 160=92c27484c249160 = \frac{92c^2}{7} - \frac{484c^2}{49} 160=644c2484c249160 = \frac{644c^2 - 484c^2}{49} 160=160c249160 = \frac{160c^2}{49}

Now solve for cc:

160c249=160\frac{160c^2}{49} = 160 160c2=160×49160c^2 = 160 \times 49 c2=49c^2 = 49 c=7c = 7

Therefore, the correct option is C, and the value of cc is 77.

Using Mean First

First compute the mean:

xˉ=fxf=22c7\bar{x} = \frac{\sum fx}{\sum f} = \frac{22c}{7}

Then use

Variance=f(xixˉ)2f\text{Variance} = \frac{\sum f(x_i-\bar{x})^2}{\sum f}

which is equivalently

Variance=fx2fxˉ2\text{Variance} = \frac{\sum f x^2}{\sum f} - \bar{x}^2

Substituting,

160=92c27(22c7)2=92c27484c249=160c249160 = \frac{92c^2}{7} - \left(\frac{22c}{7}\right)^2 = \frac{92c^2}{7} - \frac{484c^2}{49} = \frac{160c^2}{49}

Hence,

c2=49c=7c^2 = 49 \Rightarrow c = 7

So the correct option is C.

Common mistakes

  • Using the wrong variance formula by averaging only the values and ignoring frequencies. This is incorrect because each value contributes according to its frequency. Always compute f\sum f, fx\sum fx, and fx2\sum f x^2 with the given frequencies.

  • Adding fx\sum fx incorrectly. A common error is to miss that the value cc has frequency 22, so its contribution is 2c2c. Recheck each term carefully before finding the mean.

  • Making an algebra mistake while simplifying

    92c27484c249\frac{92c^2}{7} - \frac{484c^2}{49}

    The correct common denominator is 4949, giving 644c2484c249=160c249\frac{644c^2 - 484c^2}{49} = \frac{160c^2}{49}. Convert to a common denominator before subtracting.

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