Higher-Tier Topics GCSE Statistics Worksheets, Questions and Revision

A nurse records the heights, in cm, of 9 children as: 132, 128, 135, 130, 129, 1310, 133, 131, 128. Identify the likely error in this data set, suggest a correction, and explain your reasoning.

1. All the values are between about 128 and 135 cm except for 1310, which is far higher than the rest and not a realistic height for a child.
2. 1310 is likely a typing error, for example an extra digit added or a misplaced decimal point (131.0 recorded without the point).
3. The most likely correct value is 131, since this fits closely with the surrounding data (128 to 135 cm).
4. So the final answer is: 1310 should be corrected to 131 cm, as it is far outside the realistic range for the other children's heights and is very likely a data-entry error.