CPIM Practice Exam

How is the mean absolute deviation calculated from the deviation values of 12, -8, 15, 17, -22, and -3 units?

1. 1.83

2. 2.57

3. 3.33

4. 12.83

The correct answer is: 12.83

Calculating the mean absolute deviation involves first converting all deviation values to their absolute values. This ensures that the deviations are treated without regard to their direction — whether they are positive or negative. For the given deviation values of 12, -8, 15, 17, -22, and -3, we will take the absolute values: - |12| = 12 - |-8| = 8 - |15| = 15 - |17| = 17 - |-22| = 22 - |-3| = 3 Next, we sum these absolute values: 12 + 8 + 15 + 17 + 22 + 3 = 77 To find the mean absolute deviation, we then divide this sum by the number of values. Here, there are 6 deviation values: Mean Absolute Deviation = Total Absolute Deviation / Number of Deviations Mean Absolute Deviation = 77 / 6 ≈ 12.83 Thus, the mean absolute deviation is approximately 12.83. This validates the choice of answer, aligning with the correct result from the calculations.