Question:
If the median of the following frequency distribution is 28.5 find the missing frequencies:
Solution:
Given: Median = 28.5
We prepare the cumulative frequency table, as given below.
Now, we have
$N=60$
$45+f_{1}+f_{2}=60$
$f_{2}=15-f_{1}$.....(1)
$\mathrm{Also}, \frac{N}{2}=30$
Since the median $=28.5$ so the median class is $20-30$.
Here, $l=20, f=20, F=5+f_{1}$ and $h=10$
We know that
Median $=l+\left\{\frac{\frac{N}{2}-F}{f}\right\} \times h$
$28.5=20+\left\{\frac{30-\left(5+f_{1}\right)}{20}\right\} \times 10$
$8.5=\frac{\left(25-f_{1}\right) \times 10}{20}$
$8.5 \times 20=250-10 f_{1}$
$10 f_{1}=250-170$
$=80$
$f_{1}=8$
Putting the value of $f_{1}$ in (1), we get
$f=15-8$
$=7$
Hence, the missing frequencies are 7 and 8.