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CLASS 8 · GANITA PRAKASH PART II · CHAPTER 5

Tales by Dots and Lines

Understand mean and median as summaries of data, and interpret line graphs, dot plots, activity strips and other data stories.

52 worked answersAll 3 exercise sets

What you will learn

  • Explain how changes to data affect the mean and median.
  • Calculate statistics from frequency tables and spreadsheets.
  • Read and question line graphs and infographics while recognising data limitations.

52 worked answers · short steps first, explanations when you need them

5.1 The balancing act

Textbook pages 103–109

Question two-value-mean

Find the means of (3,7) and (8,9). What do you notice?

Steps only

(3+7)÷2=5.

(8+9)÷2=8.5.

Answer

Each mean lies halfway between its two values.

Question mean-distance-balance

For data 10, 10, 11, 17, show that 12 balances the values.

Steps only

Values below 12 are 10, 10, 11: distances 2+2+1=5.

Value above 12 is 17: distance 5.

Answer

The total distance below and above 12 is 5 on each side, so 12 is the balance point.

Question mean-unique-centre

Can a different number also balance the total distances for 10, 10, 11, 17?

Steps only

At 12 the distances on each side total 5.

Move the proposed centre above 12: distances on the lower side grow and those on the upper side shrink.

Move it below 12: the reverse happens.

Answer

No. Only 12 balances the two total distances.

Question adding-value-mean

How does adding a value above, below or equal to the current mean affect the mean?

Steps only

A value above the mean pulls the balance point upward.

A value below the mean pulls it downward.

A value equal to the mean adds equal balance and leaves the average unchanged.

Answer

Above → mean increases; below → mean decreases; equal → mean stays the same.

Question removing-value-mean

How does removing a value above, below or equal to the mean affect the mean?

Steps only

Removing an above-mean value removes more than the current share, pulling the average down.

Removing a below-mean value pulls the average up.

Removing a value equal to the mean leaves the average unchanged.

Answer

Above → mean decreases; below → mean increases; equal → mean stays the same.

Question add-remove-preserve-mean

How can two values be added without changing a data set’s mean m? How about three values?

Steps only

For two values, choose values whose average is m; for example m−2 and m+2.

For three values, choose deviations from m that sum to zero, such as m−2, m−1, m+3.

Answer

Any added group whose own mean is m keeps the combined mean at m. The examples above work.

Question shift-data-mean

Find the mean of 8, 3, 10, 13, 4, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 5; then find it if every value increases by 10.

Steps only

Original sum=79 and there are 11 values, so mean=79/11≈7.18.

Adding 10 to all 11 values adds 110 to the total.

New mean=(79+110)/11=189/11≈17.18.

Answer

Original mean ≈7.18; new mean ≈17.18, exactly 10 greater.

Question subtract-data-mean

If 2 is subtracted from every data value, what happens to the mean?

Steps only

For n values with mean a, the total is na.

After subtracting 2 from each, the total is na−2n.

New mean=(na−2n)/n=a−2.

Answer

The mean decreases by 2. In general, subtracting c from every value subtracts c from the mean.

Question scale-data-mean

What happens to the mean if each of n values is multiplied by k?

Steps only

If the original total is na, the new total is k(na).

Divide by the same n values: k(na)/n=ka.

Answer

The new mean is k times the old mean. For example, doubling every value doubles the mean.

Question median-added-value

What can happen to the median when a value is added to ordered data?

Steps only

The new value changes both the count and the middle position.

If it is above the old median, the new median can move upward; if below, it can move downward.

The actual result also depends on the other ordered values.

Answer

It may increase, decrease or remain the same; the value’s position and the data around the middle matter.

Question missing-wrestler-weight

Nine known wrestler weights are 42, 40, 39, 33, 48, 38, 42, 35, 32 kg. The mean of all 10 weights is 39.2 kg. Find the missing weight.

Steps only

Total of 10 weights=39.2×10=392 kg.

Known total=349 kg.

Missing weight=392−349.

Answer

43 kg.

Question correct-coconut-average

The average harvest for 15 trees was recorded as 25.6 coconuts per tree, but one tree’s count was 3 too high. Find the corrected average.

Steps only

Recorded total=25.6×15=384.

Correct total=384−3=381.

Correct mean=381÷15.

Answer

25.4 coconuts per tree.

Question family-frequency-mean

Family sizes 3–10 have frequencies 3, 11, 9, 7, 3, 1, 1, 1. Find the mean.

Steps only

Total families=3+11+9+7+3+1+1+1=36.

Weighted total=3×3+4×11+5×9+6×7+7×3+8+9+10=188.

Mean=188/36≈5.22.

Answer

About 5.22 people per family.

Question family-frequency-median

Find the median for the family-size frequency table with total frequency 36 and frequencies 3,11,9,7,3,1,1,1 for sizes 3–10.

Steps only

For 36 data values, the median is the average of positions 18 and 19.

Cumulative frequency through size 4 is 14; through size 5 it is 23.

Both positions 18 and 19 therefore have value 5.

Answer

Median = 5 people.

Spreadsheets and mean/median questions

Textbook pages 110–115

Question spreadsheet-cell

In the class-marks spreadsheet, where is Farooq’s Mathematics score? What information is in B7?

Steps only

Columns B–G are Odia, Telugu, English, Mathematics, Social Science and Science.

Rows 2–23 list students in the order shown.

Answer

Farooq’s Mathematics mark is in E5. B7 is Gowri’s Odia mark, 27.

Question ashwin-subjects

In which subjects did Ashwin score more than 30?

Steps only

Ashwin’s row is 29, 31, 33, 34, 30, 28.

Compare each score with 30; 30 itself is not more than 30.

Answer

Telugu (31), English (33) and Mathematics (34).

Question spreadsheet-formulas

What formula finds class-average Science marks? Is the Odia class average greater than Telugu?

Steps only

Science is column G, students occupy rows 2–23: use =AVERAGE(G2:G23).

Odia total is 687, so average=687/22≈31.23.

Telugu total is 739, so average=739/22≈33.59.

Answer

Use =AVERAGE(G2:G23). No: Odia average ≈31.23, below Telugu average ≈33.59.

Question spreadsheet-subject-averages

Give the formulas for subject averages after the last row and report the averages from the printed marks table.

Steps only

Use =AVERAGE(B2:B23) through =AVERAGE(G2:G23).

The column totals are 687, 739, 718, 751, 690 and 729, each over 22 students.

Answer

Odia ≈31.23; Telugu ≈33.59; English ≈32.64; Maths ≈34.14; Social Science ≈31.36; Science ≈33.14.

Question first-50-sequences

Find the means of (i) the natural numbers 1 through 50, (ii) the first 50 odd numbers and (iii) the first 50 multiples of 4.

Steps only

For an arithmetic sequence, mean=(first+last)/2.

Natural numbers 1–50: (1+50)/2=25.5.

Odd numbers 1–99: (1+99)/2=50.

Multiples 4–200: (4+200)/2=102.

Answer

  • (i) 25.5,
  • (ii) 50,
  • (iii) 102.

Question missing-dot-for-mean

The dot plot shows 4, 7, 8, 8, five 9s and 11, with one dot missing. The mean of all 11 values is 9. Find the missing value.

Steps only

There are 10 shown values. Their sum is 4+7+8+8+(5×9)+11=83.

With the missing dot there are 11 values, so the required total is 11×9=99.

Missing value=99−83=16.

Answer

The missing dot belongs above 16.

Question shoe-height-average

The average height of 24 students wearing shoes is 150.2 cm. Shoes add 1 cm to every measurement. Must all heights be remeasured? Find the correct mean.

Steps only

Each measurement is exactly 1 cm too large.

Subtract 1 cm from the mean: 150.2−1.

Answer

No. The corrected average is 149.2 cm (option d).

Question song-album-mean

Which of the three song-length dot plots (A, B or C) has mean 5.57 minutes?

Steps only

Album A has seven song lengths: 5, 5, 5.25, 5.5, 5.75, 6 and 6.5 minutes.

Their total is 39 minutes. 39÷7=5.5714… minutes.

The other two plots do not have this mean.

Answer

Album A: its mean is 39÷7≈5.57 minutes.

Question sixteen-values-median

Find the median of 8,10,19,23,26,34,40,41,41,48,51,55,70,84,91,92. What value(s) can be added or removed without changing it?

Steps only

There are 16 values; the middle positions are 8 and 9.

Both values are 41, so median=(41+41)/2=41.

Adding one value makes a 17-value set whose ninth value remains 41; adding 41 and 41 preserves the middle pair.

Removing any one value leaves the middle value 41 because the original two middle entries are both 41.

Answer

Median = 41. Any one added value leaves it 41; adding (41,41) also works; removing any one listed value leaves it 41.

Question median-statements

Say whether each is always, sometimes or never true: (i) removing a value below the median decreases the median; (ii) adding a value below the mean decreases the mean; (iii) adding any four values leaves the median unchanged; (iv) adding four values below the median increases the median.

Steps only

(i) Removing a low value cannot force the median downward; it may stay or rise.

(ii) A new value below mean m pulls the mean down: (S+x)/(n+1)<m when x<m.

(iii) The result depends on the added values.

(iv) Four low values move the middle position down into lower data; they cannot make the median rise.

Answer

  • (i) Never;
  • (ii) Always;
  • (iii) Sometimes;
  • (iv) Never.

Question unknown-mean-value

The mean of 8,13,10,4,5,20,y,10 is 10.375. Find y.

Steps only

Required total=8×10.375=83.

Known total=70.

y=83−70.

Answer

y=13.

Question sum-from-mean

A data set of 15 values has mean 134. Find the sum.

Steps only

Sum=mean×number of values.

134×15=2,010.

Answer

2,010.

Question median-condition-p

Data are 12,47,8,73,18,35,39,8,29,25,p. Which choices p=10,25,40,100,29,47,30 give median 29?

Steps only

Sort the ten fixed values: 8,8,12,18,25,29,35,39,47,73.

With 11 values, the median is the sixth value.

Test each option by inserting it into the ordered list.

Answer

p can be 40, 100, 29, 47 or 30 (options iii, iv, v, vi, vii).

Question cycle-dotplot

The dot plot shows the number of times students rode their cycles in a week. Four students rode twice. Find the mean and median, assess statements (a)–(d), and find next week’s mean and median if every student rides once more.

Steps only

Frequency table (rides: students): 0:3, 1:1, 2:4, 3:7, 4:7, 5:5, 6:4, 7:6, 8:3, 10:2.

There are 42 students and 193 rides altogether, so mean=193÷42≈4.60 rides.

The 21st and 22nd values are both 4, so median=4 rides.

(a) False: 3 students rode zero times. (b) True: 38 of 42 rode at least twice. (c) True: anyone riding more than 7 times in a 7-day week must ride more than once on some day.

(d) False: at least 5 students (the 3 who rode 8 times and 2 who rode 10) did so, and the plot cannot tell the exact number.

Adding 1 to every value raises both measures by 1: next mean≈5.60 and median=5.

Rides in a weekNumber of students
03
11
24
37
47
55
64
76
83
102

Answer

Mean≈4.60 rides; median=4. (a) False, (b) True, (c) True, (d) False. Next week: mean≈5.60 rides, median=5.

Question dart-frequency-statistics

Trials to hit the bull’s-eye have frequencies 1:1, 2:0, 3:0, 4:1, 5:4, 6:9, 7:12, 8:15, 9:10, 10:10. Find minimum, maximum, mean and median.

Steps only

There are 62 students.

Total trials=1×1+4×1+5×4+6×9+7×12+8×15+9×10+10×10=473.

Mean=473/62≈7.63.

The 31st and 32nd values both fall among the 8-trial group.

Answer

Minimum 1, maximum 10, mean about 7.63 trials, median 8 trials.

5.2 Visualising and interpreting data

Textbook pages 116–133

Question line-graph-shop

Draw a line graph for visitors (16,19,10,14,20,22,35) and purchasers (10,8,7,11,12,16,26) from Monday to Sunday.

Steps only

Put weekdays on the horizontal axis and customer counts on the vertical axis.

Plot each series with different markers; connect each series in day order.

Add a key and label both axes.

Answer

Two lines should be plotted: Visiting 16,19,10,14,20,22,35; Purchasing 10,8,7,11,12,16,26.

Question rainfall-days-table

Use the monthly rainy-day averages for Mangaluru, Port Blair and Rameswaram. How might they be collected, and which has the most or fewest rainy days per year?

Steps only

Weather stations record rainy days each month over several years.

Monthly averages are summed for an approximate annual average.

Totals: Mangaluru 112.1; Port Blair 125.8; Rameswaram 42.3 days.

Answer

Port Blair has the largest total (about 125.8 days); Rameswaram has the smallest (about 42.3 days). The data are multi-year monthly averages, so totals can be fractional.

Question rainy-season-rameswaram

From the monthly rainy-day table, when is Rameswaram’s rainy season?

Steps only

Rameswaram averages 8.1 rainy days in October, 10.4 in November and 7.8 in December.

Values are much lower in most earlier months.

Answer

Its main rainy period is October–December, peaking in November.

Question rainy-season-delhi

Based on the New Delhi line in the monthly rainy-day graph, when is its rainy season?

Steps only

The New Delhi line rises during the south-west monsoon months.

Its rainy-day counts are highest around July and August, with the wet period extending across the summer monsoon.

Answer

New Delhi’s rainy season is mainly July–September, with the graph peaking around July–August.

Question births-line-graph

Use the chapter’s monthly births line graph to report July 2017, time span, January comparisons for 2018–2020 and an estimate for 2019.

Steps only

Read the time axis to identify the covered months and years.

Read the plotted point for July 2017 and each January.

Estimate 2019 by combining or averaging the 12 monthly points if the question means the annual total/average.

Answer

The graph’s numeric points and exact axis range are absent from extracted text, so these values must be read from the printed graph.

Question rice-wheat-map

The map compares per-capita rice and wheat consumption on a scale from −100 (stronger wheat preference) to +100 (stronger rice preference). Guess Karnataka’s hidden value, name five states at each extreme and give examples near balance.

Steps only

Karnataka is in the southern region, where the map shows positive values; a reasonable estimate for the hidden value is about +80.

The strongest rice preferences are in Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya.

The strongest wheat preferences are in Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

Values near zero indicate a closer balance; examples include Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Answer

Karnataka: estimate around +80 (the exact hidden value cannot be known from this map). Rice: Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. Wheat: Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. Near balance: Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Question daily-activity-strips

Match colours to activities and days, then infer the movie time and school lunch break from Manoj’s three activity strips.

Steps only

Use the activity key or repeated blocks to identify each colour.

Compare sleeping, school, travel and leisure blocks across Friday–Sunday.

Locate a long leisure block for the movie and the midday break in the school strip.

Answer

The exact colour blocks and time placements are only in the printed strips; read them from the figure. Do not infer a specific day or time without that evidence.

Question sleep-line-graph

What pattern does the graph show for typical daily sleep among Indians ages 6–75?

Steps only

At age 6, the average is about 9.5 hours per day.

It falls through teenage years and is about 8 hours between ages 30 and 50.

After 50, it rises to about 8.5 hours.

Answer

Sleep time decreases into adulthood, stays near 8 hours from about 30–50, then rises modestly after 50.

Question mean-grid

Give nine distinct numbers so each row, column and diagonal has mean 10.

Steps only

Use the Lo Shu magic square whose rows, columns and diagonals each sum to 15.

Add 5 to each entry; each line then sums to 15+3×5=30, so its mean is 10.

Answer

One answer is 13, 6, 11 / 8, 10, 12 / 9, 14, 7. All numbers are distinct and every line sums to 30.

Question construct-mean-median-examples

Give two examples for each: (i) 3 numbers mean 8; (ii) 4 numbers median 15.5; (iii) 5 numbers mean 13.6; (iv) 6 numbers mean=median; (v) 6 numbers mean>median.

Steps only

(i) Choose totals 24, e.g. 7,8,9 and 6,8,10.

(ii) Middle pair must total 31, e.g. 10,15,16,20 and 1,15,16,100.

(iii) Total must be 68, e.g. 10,12,14,15,17 and 8,12,14,16,18.

(iv) 1,2,3,4,5,6 has mean=median=3.5.

(v) 1,1,1,1,1,25 has mean 5 and median 1.

Answer

These are valid examples; many other sets work.

Question fill-median-13

Fill blanks in 5,21,14,__,__,__ so the median is 13. How many possibilities are there for counting numbers?

Steps only

One example is 5,21,14,12,12,21; sorted: 5,12,12,14,21,21, median=(12+14)/2=13.

There are infinitely many possibilities: values outside the two middle positions may grow without bound.

Answer

Infinitely many. For example, 5,12,12,14,21,N has median 13 for every counting number N≥21.

Question fill-mean-6-5

Fill 3,11,__,__,15,6 so the mean is 6.5. How many possibilities if counting numbers are positive?

Steps only

Total needed=6×6.5=39.

Known total=3+11+15+6=35, so blanks must total 4.

Positive counting-number pairs summing to 4 are (1,3), (2,2), (3,1).

Answer

Three ordered possibilities for the two blanks if counting numbers start at 1. If 0 is allowed, there are five ordered pairs.

Question mean-multiples-of-5-claims

Decide whether these are always true: (i) mean of two even numbers is even; (ii) mean of any two multiples of 5 is a multiple of 5; (iii) mean of any five multiples of 5 is a multiple of 5.

Steps only

(i) Two even numbers are 2a and 2b; their mean=a+b, not always even (2 and 4 average 3).

(ii) 5 and 10 average 7.5, not a multiple of 5.

(iii) 0,0,0,0,5 average 1, not a multiple of 5.

Answer

None is always true. Each can be true for some choices, but counterexamples show each claim is not guaranteed.

Question new-students-mean-median

A class of 24 has mean height 150.2 cm. Two new students are 149 cm and 152 cm. What happens to the mean and median?

Steps only

Original total=24×150.2=3,604.8 cm.

New total=3,604.8+149+152=3,905.8 cm for 26 students.

New mean=3,905.8÷26≈150.223 cm, slightly above 150.2.

The new median depends on the ordered heights near the centre.

Answer

The mean increases very slightly. The median cannot be determined without knowing the original middle heights and where the newcomers fit.

Question dotplot-mean-17

Is 17 the mean of the dot plot spanning values 14–23?

Steps only

Count dots at each value.

Compute the weighted total and divide by the total dot count.

Answer

The dot frequencies are not included in the extracted text, so the numerical claim requires the printed dot plot.

Question weight-changes-mean-median

One person loses 2 kg and two people each gain 1 kg. Previous mean was 65.3 kg and median 67 kg. What changes?

Steps only

Net change in total weight=−2+1+1=0, with the same number of people.

Therefore the mean is unchanged.

The median depends on which people changed and their positions in the ordered data.

Answer

Mean stays 65.3 kg. The median may change or stay the same; the information is insufficient to tell.

Question lighting-graph

For each statement, decide whether the household lighting graph supports it: (i) in 1983 most rural homes used kerosene and most urban homes electricity; (ii) kerosene use as the main lighting source decreased over time in both settings; (iii) 10% of urban households used electricity in 2000; (iv) there were no power cuts in 2023.

Steps only

(i) In 1983, most rural households used kerosene (about 85%), while most urban households used electricity (about 64%); valid.

(ii) The kerosene line falls over time in both rural and urban graphs, so its use as the primary lighting source decreased; valid.

(iii) In 2000, about 90% of urban households used electricity, not 10%; invalid.

(iv) The graph records primary lighting sources, not interruptions in supply, so it cannot show that there were no power cuts; invalid.

Answer

  • (i) Valid.
  • (ii) Valid.
  • (iii) Invalid: about 90% of urban households used electricity in 2000.
  • (iv) Invalid: the graph does not show power cuts.

Question hobbies-games-graph

Use the rural/urban age graph to answer the listed questions about age 10, 1.5 hours, and comparisons at ages 10 and 15.

Steps only

Read the urban value at age 10 from its curve.

Find the rural point where the curve reaches 1.5 hours.

Compare plotted values at ages 10 and 15; distinguish averages from claims about every child.

Answer

Exact readings require the original graph. A population average cannot prove that every child meets a threshold.

Question activity-strip-project

Create a weekday and vacation strip, calculate average time per activity and compare with an adult.

Steps only

Record each activity in 30-minute intervals over 24 hours (48 boxes).

For each activity, total the time across recorded days and divide by the number of days.

Compare patterns only after using the same activity categories.

Answer

This is an individual data project; results depend on your recorded schedule. Each strip must cover 24 hours.

Question school-sleep-project

How can a group compare family sleep times or Grade 8 school hours?

Steps only

Collect daily sleep or start/end/break times from each participant for the same period.

Calculate mean and median separately for children, adults and elderly participants, or compare school class time and breaks.

Show the data in labelled strips or a table and mention sample limitations.

Answer

This is an open-ended project; answers depend on the group’s collected data.

Question sunrise-sunset-graphs

Use four Indian locations’ sunrise/sunset graphs to identify earliest January sunrise and longest day length.

Steps only

For January, compare the sunrise times across locations; earlier clock time means earlier sunrise.

Day length=sunset time−sunrise time, accounting for times crossing noon.

Compare this difference across all months and locations.

Answer

The plotted curves are required for exact location names and day lengths; they are not present in the extracted text.

Question moonrise-moonset-graph

Use the moonrise/moonset graph to identify amavasya and purnima dates.

Steps only

New moon and full moon can be investigated by comparing moonrise and moonset timing patterns with lunar phases.

Read the date axis and identify the graph’s phase-related pattern, then verify against a calendar.

Answer

The graph’s dates and data are absent from the text extraction, so the requested dates must be read from the printed graph.

Questions follow NCERT’s Ganita Prakash Part II, Chapter 5 ↗, checked on 2026-10-06. Use our original question summaries and worked answers alongside the questions in your textbook.

Diagrams are drawn from mathematical rules. Learnivelle is not affiliated with NCERT.

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