A dataset {-2, 5, -4, x, y, 2x} has a mean of 3 and a mode of -2. Find possible x + y.

Question

Struggling really hard to get an answer. I kept getting 5. The possible choices were -6, -2, 2, 8, 10.

Answer 1

This one is tricky. I think whoever wrote the problem messed it up, or you wrote it down incorrectly. I did the whole thing using y = -2, and I got the same answer you did. Then I thought further. If that answer didn't work, how else could the mode be -2? If x = -1, then 2 x -1 = -2, and makes the mode -2.

So, (-2 + 5 + -4 + -1 + y + -2)/6 = 3

-4 + y / 6 = 3

-4 + y = 18

y = 22

22 + -2 = 20

Which still isn't one of the possible choices. Sorry.