I need maths help and quick!?

Question

I'm doing coursework (nearly finished) for Monday, but might have come upon a HUGE mistake i've made.
What i'm doing is this hypothesis:
"The advertising in a national newspaper is a greater amount than a regional newspaper"
So, I counted all of the adverts on every page and put them onto a tally with
page | number of adverts
1 > > > > 1
2 > > > > 3
and so on...
So, I was told to find the cumulative frequency (add up the adverts on the way down (1+3 for above)). Then to put them on a cumulative frequency diagram.
So, after doing that, I found the median, which was page 17 or something, then, the lower quartile, which was a decimal number (like 5.8 or something)
Until I finished, I thought it was fine, then realised that that would only work if it was cm or minutes which was the bottom of my diagram, because, there is no page 5.8.

Does it still work?
Am I panicking over nothing?

Answer 1

The lower quartile can be a decimal... Round up. By what you are telling me, it seems you have done it right. On the x-axis of a cumulative frequency diagram, you use the upper limit of each group. So 20-30 would be 30.5. IT IS NOT THE MID-POINTS! I know this is nothing to do with your question, but it is a major problem if you have used mid-points, because your diagram would be all WRONG. As for the rest of the information, it is hard to judge because I can not see the diagram for myself, however by what I have been given, it seems OK. So the lower quartile that you have got is most likely to be correct. Just do it using that lower quartile, and when you have finished, ask your teacher if it is correct tomorrow.

Answer 2

I think you must remember that side 5.8 is on side 5 .
Your base line can be made as you did. You must take into concideration the start of numbers on the sides.
If you start with cero( 0), then the meaning og the side 5.8 is different from the meaning if you start with side 1.

I think your work migt be logical.

Answer 3

Round it up dude