The graph shows the total energy usage in kilowatt hours (kWh) for a small retail business for each month of...

Owning the Dataset

Table 1: Text Analysis

Table 2: Chart Analysis

Key Insights

There is strong seasonality in energy usage for the small retail business: Quarter 3 (summer) has the highest median monthly energy use at \(\mathrm{940\;kWh}\), while Quarter 4 (winter) is lowest at \(\mathrm{690\;kWh}\). This \(\mathrm{250\;kWh}\) gap underscores significant seasonal shifts in energy demand, with consumption peaking in the summer and dipping in the winter months.

Step-by-Step Solution

Question 1: Identifying the Quarter with the Greatest Median Energy Usage

Complete Statement:

Among the quarterly medians (the medians of the business's monthly energy usages for each quarter), the greatest quarterly median was for Quarter [BLANK 1]

Breaking Down the Statement

• Statement Breakdown 1:
  • Key Phrase: quarterly medians
  • Meaning: Find the median (middle value) of energy usage for each quarter.
  • Relation to Chart: Each quarter has three months' data; arrange each set of three monthly usages in order to get the median for that quarter.
  • Important Implications: We will have four numbers (one for each quarter) to compare and identify the largest.
• Statement Breakdown 2:
  • Key Phrase: the greatest quarterly median
  • Meaning: Select the largest among the four computed medians.
  • Relation to Chart: Use the previously computed medians from each quarter.
  • Important Implications: Determines which quarter to report in BLANK 1.
• What is needed: Which quarter (1, 2, 3, or 4) had the highest median of its three monthly usages.

Solution:

• Condensed Solution Implementation:
  Calculate the median monthly usage in each quarter, then compare to find the greatest.
• Necessary Data points:
  Q1: Jan 660, Feb 725, Mar 745; Q2: Apr 710, May 780, Jun 860; Q3: Jul 940, Aug 980, Sep 810; Q4: Oct 740, Nov 690, Dec 630.
  • Calculations Estimations:
    \(\mathrm{Q1\;(660, 725, 745): Median = 725}\). \(\mathrm{Q2\;(710, 780, 860): Median = 780}\). \(\mathrm{Q3\;(810, 940, 980): Median = 940}\). \(\mathrm{Q4\;(630, 690, 740): Median = 690}\).
  • Comparison to Answer Choices:
    Medians are Q1: 725, Q2: 780, Q3: 940, Q4: 690. The greatest is Q3.

FINAL ANSWER Blank 1: 3

Question 2: Determining How Much the Greatest Median Exceeds the Least Median

Complete Statement:

...and that quarterly median exceeded the least quarterly median by [BLANK 2] \(\mathrm{kWh}\), to the nearest 50 \(\mathrm{kWh}\)

Breaking Down the Statement

• Statement Breakdown 1:
  • Key Phrase: exceeded the least quarterly median
  • Meaning: Subtract the smallest quarterly median from the greatest.
  • Relation to Chart: Compare the largest and smallest values among the four medians.
• Statement Breakdown 2:
  • Key Phrase: to the nearest 50 \(\mathrm{kWh}\)
  • Meaning: Round the answer to the closest multiple of 50.
  • Relation to Chart: Round the computed difference if necessary.
• What is needed: By how much (rounded to the nearest 50 \(\mathrm{kWh}\)) the greatest median is higher than the least median.

Solution:

• Condensed Solution Implementation:
  Subtract the least median from the greatest and round appropriately.
• Necessary Data points:
  Greatest median: 940 (Q3), least median: 690 (Q4).
  • Calculations Estimations:
    \(\mathrm{940 - 690 = 250\;kWh}\).
  • Comparison to Answer Choices:
    250 is already a multiple of 50 and matches a possible answer.

FINAL ANSWER Blank 2: 250

Summary

First, calculate each quarter's median monthly usage and compare to identify Quarter 3 (Q3) as the greatest. Then, find the difference between the greatest (940) and least (690) quarterly medians to get \(\mathrm{250\;kWh}\) (already rounded).

Question Independence Analysis

The questions are dependent: the second asks about the difference between 'that quarterly median' found in the first, requiring the first answer to solve the second.