Mathematics 2024 – Question 5

Mathematics 2024 – Question 5

Find the median weight of 40 female lions given below.

Weight (kg) 118 – 126 127 – 135 136 – 144 145 – 153 154 – 162 163 – 171 172 – 180
Frequency 3 5 9 12 5 4 2
  1. 152.0 kg
  2. 148.6 kg
  3. 146.8 kg ✓
  4. 150.2 kg

Explanation

Inflation effects on: debtors (benefit – repay with cheaper money), creditors (lose – receive less purchasing power), fixed income earners (lose – income buys less), exporters (lose – products more expensive abroad).

Savers lose (money loses value); borrowers gain. Businesses face uncertainty (harder to plan), menu costs (changing prices), shoe-leather costs (managing cash). High inflation distorts economic decisions.

Control measures: tight monetary policy (raise interest rates, reduce money supply), fiscal policy (reduce government spending, raise taxes), supply-side measures (increase production to reduce scarcity).