algebra one i dont know what to type here lol

Question

Quinn mailed four postcards that each cost $0.25, five letters that each cost $0.44, two large envelopes that each cost $0.80, and one small package for $5.10. Which cost on the list of mailing fees on Quinn’s receipt would skew the mean?

the cost of a postcard

the cost of a letter

the cost of a large envelope

the cost of the small package

Answer 1

The 4 types of items being mailed would cost $9.90. As there are 12 of them, the mean (or avg.) cost per item would be $0.825.

If you mailed one additional small package, the total cost would go up by $5.10, to $15.00. 15/13 ≅ $1.15

In contrast, if you mailed 2 $0.80 lg. envelopes, the cost would rise to $10.70. $10.70/13 ≅ $0.823, actually lowering the avg. 5 $0.25 postcards instead of 4 brings avg. down to ≅ $0.78.

So it appears that a change in the number of small packages has the largest effect on the mean, if that is the aim of the question.