Mathematical Query

[susanxx]

Four car companies sell cars and their sales figures are shown in each quarter as :
First quarter, company A sells 200 cars, B-100, C-50,D-150.
Second quarter A-250, B-150, C-100, D-200.
Third quarter A-350, B-250, C-150, D-350.
Fourth quarter A-200, B-250, C-150, D-300.
Which firm's records show the widest range in the number of cars sold per quarter?

[wolf63]

D ?

[Peter Pedant]

you should tabulate them in a four x four square ( which i just cant be a-r-s-e-d to do for you ) and then you look for the column which has the greatest range ( space between the lowest and highest number )

100-200 has a greater range ( 200-100 = 100 ) than 150 - 225 ( because that range is 225 minus 150 is 75 )

and I think it is D

[Prudie]

Slightly odd question but I would take the least and greatest each seller does and find the difference .The one with the greatest difference has the widest range eg
A 200-350 (150)
B 100-250 (150)
C 50-150 (100)
D 150-350 (200)
So D
However if you start talking greatest percentage difference you'd get a different answer

[susanxx]

Thanks guys, I thought it was D but needed a bit more help!

[Peter Pedant]

it aint math as we know it Prood

but descriptive stats - which I found terminally boring in 1968, I dont seem to have improved on

[Prudie]

I hated stats. even this question, strictly speaking C can sell 3 times more in 1 Qtr than it does in another which none of the others can manage so does that make C have the greatest range ...

[Peter Pedant]

wiki // In arithmetic, the range of a set of data is the difference between the largest and smallest values//

answer no 1 therefore right prude