A marine biologist investigated the environmental impact of plastic pollution by measuring the microplastic concentration (in $μg/L\mu\text{g/L}$ ) in water samples. The biologist collected ten samples from Region X (near an industrial harbor) and ten matched samples from Region Y (near a marine protected area). The raw data is presented in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Microplastic Concentrations ( $μg/L\mu\text{g/L}$ )

Sample	Region X (Harbor)	Sample	Region Y (Protected Area)
1	29	1	31
2	18	2	15
3	45	3	40
4	12	4	8
5	95	5	112
6	34	6	38
7	18	7	26
8	41	8	44
9	88	9	22
10	25	10	35

Calculate the median and range for both regions. Then, explain why the biologist chose to use the median rather than the mode as a measure of central tendency for this dataset.

Table 1: Microplastic Concentrations ( $μg/L\mu\text{g/L}$ )

Sample	Region X (Harbor)	Sample	Region Y (Protected Area)
1	29	1	31
2	18	2	15
3	45	3	40
4	12	4	8
5	95	5	112
6	34	6	38
7	18	7	26
8	41	8	44
9	88	9	22
10	25	10	35

Calculate the median and range for both regions. Then, explain why the biologist chose to use the median rather than the mode as a measure of central tendency for this dataset.

Data handling and analysis

Question 49

Table 1: Microplastic Concentrations ( $μg/L\mu\text{g/L}$ )

Markscheme

Data handling and analysis

Question 49

Table 1: Microplastic Concentrations ( $μg/L\mu\text{g/L}$ )

Markscheme

Sample	Region X (Harbor)	Sample	Region Y (Protected Area)
1	29	1	31
2	18	2	15
3	45	3	40
4	12	4	8
5	95	5	112
6	34	6	38
7	18	7	26
8	41	8	44
9	88	9	22
10	25	10	35

Sample	Region X (Harbor)	Sample	Region Y (Protected Area)
1	29	1	31
2	18	2	15
3	45	3	40
4	12	4	8
5	95	5	112
6	34	6	38
7	18	7	26
8	41	8	44
9	88	9	22
10	25	10	35

Sample	Region X (Harbor)	Sample	Region Y (Protected Area)
1	29	1	31
2	18	2	15
3	45	3	40
4	12	4	8
5	95	5	112
6	34	6	38
7	18	7	26
8	41	8	44
9	88	9	22
10	25	10	35

Sample	Region X (Harbor)	Sample	Region Y (Protected Area)
1	29	1	31
2	18	2	15
3	45	3	40
4	12	4	8
5	95	5	112
6	34	6	38
7	18	7	26
8	41	8	44
9	88	9	22
10	25	10	35

Data handling and analysis

Question 49

Table 1: Microplastic Concentrations (μg/L\mu\text{g/L}μg/L)

Data handling and analysis Questions

Data handling and analysis

Question 49

Table 1: Microplastic Concentrations (μg/L\mu\text{g/L}μg/L)

Data handling and analysis Questions

Table 1: Microplastic Concentrations ( $μg/L\mu\text{g/L}$ )

Table 1: Microplastic Concentrations ( $μg/L\mu\text{g/L}$ )

Sample	Region X (Harbor)	Sample	Region Y (Protected Area)
1	29	1	31
2	18	2	15
3	45	3	40
4	12	4	8
5	95	5	112
6	34	6	38
7	18	7	26
8	41	8	44
9	88	9	22
10	25	10	35

Sample	Region X (Harbor)	Sample	Region Y (Protected Area)
1	29	1	31
2	18	2	15
3	45	3	40
4	12	4	8
5	95	5	112
6	34	6	38
7	18	7	26
8	41	8	44
9	88	9	22
10	25	10	35