### Home > MC1 > Chapter 8 > Lesson 8.2.3 > Problem8-57

8-57.

To find her usual bedtime, Zoe kept a record of what time she went to bed. These are the times she recorded: 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 10:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m.

1. What is the mode of Zoe's bedtimes?

Try putting the bedtimes in order from earliest to latest first. This might help you find the measures of central tendency more easily.

Remember that the mode is the most frequently repeated piece of data. What time did Zoe go to bed the most?

1. What is the median?

In the list of data you made in part (a), the median will be one in the exact middle, between the earliest and latest times.

Because there is an even number of bedtimes listed, take the average time of the two middle times.

2. When you calculate the mean, what values will you use for 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.?

If there are $60$ minutes in an hour, what portion of an hour is $30$ minutes?

You should use $9.5$ and $10.5$ to find the mean.

3. What is the mean?

The mean is $9.85$, which is about 9:51 p.m.

4. If Zoe wants to convince her parents that she usually goes to bed early and should be allowed to stay up late this Friday, which of these measures of central tendency would she probably choose to use? Explain.

Look at the modes of central tendency you found in parts (a), (b), and (d).
The earliest time would probably be the best time for Zoe to refer to. Remember to explain your answer!