Question

The mean and variance of 7 observations are 8 and 16, respectively. If five of the observations are 2, 4, 10, 12 and 14. Find the remaining two observations.

Answer 1

Let the remaining two observations be x and y.

The observations are 2, 4, 10, 12, 14, x, y.

From (1), we obtain

x² + y² + 2xy = 196 … (3)

From (2) and (3), we obtain

2xy = 196 – 100

⇒ 2xy = 96 … (4)

Subtracting (4) from (2), we obtain

x² + y² – 2xy = 100 – 96

⇒ (x – y)² = 4

⇒ x – y = ± 2 … (5)

Therefore, from (1) and (5), we obtain

x = 8 and y = 6 when x – y = 2

x = 6 and y = 8 when x – y = – 2

Thus, the remaining observations are 6 and 8.