Which of the following data sets has the third

[ashwinrkamath]

Which of the following data sets has the third largest standard deviation?
{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
{2, 3, 3, 3, 4}
{2, 2, 3, 3, 5}
{0, 2, 3, 4, 6}
{1, 3, 4, 5, 7}

It is asked to point out the third largest set with SD?

The last 2 have same SD, then the first and then the option3.

Why do we take the last two SDs as count 2.

If we have a set {5,5,4,3,2} If we have to find the thrd largest value in this set...it should be 5,4 and 3.

Isn,t it?

[mschwrtz]

You have a point ashwinrkamath. There's a little difference here between questions that ask about things represented by numbers (height, weight, volume, etc.) and questions that ask about numbers themselves.

If I ask you which of five people is third-heaviest, and give their weights as 40 kilos, 60 kilos, 70 kilos, 80 kilos, 80 kilos, the answer is the 70-kilo guy.

But if I ask you which of five numbers is third-largest, and give the numbers 40, 60, 70, 80, 80, well... as I say, you have a point.

I suspect that the answer is that we didn't perfectly model the real test on this one, and that the real GMAT just wouldn't give you an ambiguous case. I'll send this one back to committee.

Thanks for the heads-up.

[aceacharya]

You have a point ashwinrkamath. There's a little difference here between questions that ask about things represented by numbers (height, weight, volume, etc.) and questions that ask about numbers themselves.

If I ask you which of five people is third-heaviest, and give their weights as 40 kilos, 60 kilos, 70 kilos, 80 kilos, 80 kilos, the answer is the 70-kilo guy.

But if I ask you which of five numbers is third-largest, and give the numbers 40, 60, 70, 80, 80, well... as I say, you have a point.

I suspect that the answer is that we didn't perfectly model the real test on this one, and that the real GMAT just wouldn't give you an ambiguous case. I'll send this one back to committee.

Thanks for the heads-up.

I guess the question wasnt sent up to the commitee. I got this question again and made the exact same mistake as mentioned here

[RonPurewal]

nah, there's no ambiguity. if the numbers were 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, then the third-largest value ("third place") would be 4. this is a universal definition.

you'll see the same thing whenever there are sports in which ties are possible.
if five competitors finish with 10, 10, 7, 6, and 3 points, then the first two competitors will be "tied for 1st place", but then the person with 7 points will be in third place.