Question

The Great White Shark. In an article titled "Great White, Deep Trouble" (National Geographic, Vol. 197(4). pp. 2-29). Peter Benchley - the author of JAWS - discussed various aspects of the Great White Shark (Carcharodon Carcharias). Data on the number of pups borne in a lifetime by each of 80 Great White Shark females are given on the WeissStats site.

a. use the technology of your choice to identify the modality and symmetry (or non-symmetry) of the distribution of the data set.

b. if unimodal, classify the distribution as symmetric right-skewed. or left-skewed.

Short answer

a) The distribution is bimodal and symmetric.

b) The skewness is not applicable.

Step-by-step solution

Part (a) Step 1: Given Information

To determine the modality and symmetry of the distribution.

Part (a) Step 2: Explanation

The frequency distribution is:

The frequency histogram will have the bars of height equal to frequency so,

Because there are two peaks in the distribution, it is bimodal.

Because the apex of the distribution lies nearly in the middle of the graph, the distribution is roughly symmetric.

Bimodal:

Having or involving two modes, especially two maxima (of a statistical distribution).

Part (b) Step 1: Given Information 

To determine the shape of the distribution is right-skewed or left-skewed.

Part (b) Step 2: Explanation 

The distribution is not unimodal and non-symmetric so, the skewness is not applicable.

Unimodal:

A single peak characterizes a unimodal distribution.

Non-symmetric and symmetric:

If you understand that symmetrical means that both sides of something are identical, it should be simple to understand that asymmetrical means that the two sides are different in some way. Things that are asymmetrical are irregular and crooked and do not match up perfectly when folded in half.