How would you compare two locations for a statistic like average temperature?

• A. Subset by location, compute averages for each location, then compare the results.
• B. Compute a single average for all locations.
• C. Compute maximum temperatures for each location and compare.
• D. Compare medians without separating by location.

Answer: (A)

To compare two locations for a statistic like average temperature, you first separate the data by location and calculate the average for each location, then compare those two averages. This approach keeps each location’s data distinct so you’re measuring the central tendency where it actually belongs. If you averaged everything together, you’d mask differences between locations because the overall mean would blend the two climates. Focusing on maximum temperatures shifts the emphasis to extremes rather than the typical value, which isn’t what an average captures. Comparing medians without separating by location ignores differences in the distributions that can occur between places, making the comparison potentially misleading.