A magazine published a list consisting of the state tax on each gallon of gas. If we add the 50 state tax amounts and then divide by? 50, we get 27.3 cents. Is the value of 27.3 cents the mean amount of state sales tax paid by all U. S.? drivers? Why or why? not?

Question

Maren Morgan

Mathematics

13 January, 12:27

A magazine published a list consisting of the state tax on each gallon of gas. If we add the 50 state tax amounts and then divide by? 50, we get 27.3 cents. Is the value of 27.3 cents the mean amount of state sales tax paid by all U. S.? drivers? Why or why? not?

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Francesca Simpson · Answer 1

Answer: No, it would not be the mean of the tax paid by all US drivers.

To find the mean, we divided by 50 because there are 50 states. However, the number of people in each state is not equal. Therefore, the 50 states should not be treated as they are equal.

To find the mean correctly, we would have to find weight the value of each state according to the number of people in the state.