Numeracy Higher November 2021 Unit 1 Q7
7. PowrUp is a company that makes a certain type of battery.
To find out how long these batteries last, it tests a sample of new batteries.
The lifetime of each battery in the sample is recorded.
The results are shown in the histogram below.

Use the histogram to answer the following questions:
(a) Calculate the total number of batteries that were in the sample. [2]
(b) PowrUp can advertise the lifetime of these batteries based on the results of these tests.
75% of the sample must exceed this lifetime.
75% of the sample must exceed this lifetime.
Calculate an estimate of the lifetime of these batteries that PowrUp should use in its adverts.
You must show all your working. [4]
| Scheme | Marks | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 250×0.8 + 100×2 + 50×2.8 + 50×4 + 200×0.7 (= 200 + 200 + 140 + 200 + 140) | M1 | Allow M1 for the sum of 5 products with any 3 correct |
| = 880 (batteries) | A1 | CAO |
| Scheme | Marks | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| FT ‘their 880’ ÷ 4 and ‘their 250×0.8’ for all marks provided their lower quartile is in the 2nd group, i.e. ‘their 250×0.8’ < ‘their 880’ ÷ 4 < ‘their 250×0.8’+200 | ||
| Search for lower quartile in the 550 – 650 group 2x = 880÷4 – 250×0.8 OR \(\dfrac{880÷4 - 250×0.8}{200}\) × 100 or 2x = 20 OR \(\dfrac{20}{200}\) × 100 | S1 M1 | May be seen on the diagram |
| (x =) 10 | A1 | |
| (lower quartile = 550 + 10 =) 560 (hours) | A1 | If no marks awarded, SC2 for an answer of 730 (hours) from using the upper quartile e.g. 750 – 80/200×50 OR 700 + 120/200×50 SC1 for searching in the 700 – 750 group provided sight of 880 ÷ 4 (×3) |
7(b) Alternative method:
| Scheme | Marks | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| FT ‘their 880’ ÷ 4 and ‘their 250×0.8’ for all marks provided their lower quartile is in the 2nd group, i.e. ‘their 250×0.8’ < ‘their 880’ ÷ 4 < ‘their 250×0.8’+200 | ||
| Search for lower quartile in the 550 – 650 group 2x = (250×0.8+200) – 880÷4 OR \(\dfrac{(250×0.8+200) - 880÷4}{200}\) × 100 or 2x = 180 OR \(\dfrac{180}{200}\) × 100 | S1 M1 | May be seen on the diagram |
| (x =) 90 | A1 | |
| (lower quartile = 650 – 90 =) 560 (hours) | A1 | If no marks awarded, SC2 for an answer of 730 (hours) from using the upper quartile e.g. 750 – 80/200×50 OR 700 + 120/200×50 SC1 for searching in the 700 – 750 group provided sight of 880 ÷ 4 (×3) |