WGU C784 Applied Healthcare Statistics –
Western Governors University (WGU) –
2026/2027 Academic Year – Verified
Questions and Answers for Healthcare
and Nursing Students
1. Given the following set of numbers: 3.3, -2.3, -16, 25. What are the square roots
of the whole number?
A. +/- 2.3
B. +/- 3.3
C. +/- 4
D. +/- 5
Correct Answer: D. +/- 5
Rationale: The only whole number in the set is 25. The square root of 25 is 5. Since both
a positive and negative number squared equals 25, the answer is ±5.
2. What display and numerical measure do you use for categorical data to
categorical data?
A. Display: Side-by-side boxplots; Numerical measure: Conditional percentages
B. Display: Scatterplot; Numerical measure: Correlation coefficient
,C. Display: 2-way tables; Numerical measure: Conditional percentages
D. Display: 2-way tables; Numerical measure: Mean
Correct Answer: C. Display: 2-way tables; Numerical measure: Conditional
percentages
Rationale: Two-way tables (contingency tables) are used to display the relationship
between two categorical variables, and conditional percentages are used to compare
the distributions across categories.
3. What display and numerical measure do you use for comparing categorical data
to quantitative data?
A. Display: Side-by-side boxplots; Numerical measure: Conditional percentages
B. Display: Scatterplot; Numerical measure: Correlation coefficient
C. Display: Side-by-side boxplots; Numerical measure: Mean/Median
D. Display: 2-way tables; Numerical measure: Conditional percentages
Correct Answer: C. Display: Side-by-side boxplots; Numerical measure:
Mean/Median
Rationale: Side-by-side boxplots are used to visualize the distribution of a quantitative
variable across different categories of a categorical variable. Numerical measures like the
mean or median are used to compare the center of the groups.
4. When working with two-variable data, if both variables are quantitative, what is
the most appropriate choice to display the data?
A. Side-by-side boxplots
B. 2-way tables
C. Scatterplot
D. Pie chart
Correct Answer: C. Scatterplot
Rationale: Scatterplots are the standard graphical tool for displaying the relationship
between two quantitative variables. They allow you to see trends, clusters, and outliers
in the data.
,5. What is the mean of the following data set? {12, 15, 18, 21, 24}
A. 15
B. 18
C. 20
D. 24
Correct Answer: B. 18
Rationale: The mean is the average, calculated by summing all values and dividing by
the number of values. (12+15+18+21+24)/5 = 90/5 = 18.
6. What is the median of the following data set? {10, 15, 22, 27, 30}
A. 10
B. 15
C. 22
D. 27
Correct Answer: C. 22
Rationale: The median is the middle value in an ordered data set. In a set of five
numbers ordered from least to greatest, the median is the third number.
7. What is the median of the following data set? {4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24}
A. 12
B. 14
C. 16
D. 18
Correct Answer: B. 14
Rationale: With an even number of data points, the median is the average of the two
middle numbers. The two middle numbers are 12 and 16, and their average is (12+16)/2
= 14.
8. What is the mode of the following data set? {2, 3, 3, 5, 7, 7, 7, 8}
A. 3
, B. 5
C. 7
D. 8
Correct Answer: C. 7
Rationale: The mode is the value that appears most frequently in a data set. The
number 7 appears three times, which is more than any other number.
9. A data set has a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 5. What is the z-score
for a data point with a value of 60?
A. -2
B. -1
C. 1
D. 2
Correct Answer: D. 2
Rationale: The z-score is calculated as (x - mean) / standard deviation. (60 - 50) / 5 = 10
/ 5 = 2.
10. A data set has a mean of 80 and a standard deviation of 4. What is the z-score
for a data point with a value of 72?
A. -2
B. -1
C. 1
D. 2
Correct Answer: A. -2
Rationale: The z-score is (72 - 80) / 4 = - = -2.
11. What is the range of the following data set? {5, 12, 15, 21, 28}
A. 15
B. 21
Western Governors University (WGU) –
2026/2027 Academic Year – Verified
Questions and Answers for Healthcare
and Nursing Students
1. Given the following set of numbers: 3.3, -2.3, -16, 25. What are the square roots
of the whole number?
A. +/- 2.3
B. +/- 3.3
C. +/- 4
D. +/- 5
Correct Answer: D. +/- 5
Rationale: The only whole number in the set is 25. The square root of 25 is 5. Since both
a positive and negative number squared equals 25, the answer is ±5.
2. What display and numerical measure do you use for categorical data to
categorical data?
A. Display: Side-by-side boxplots; Numerical measure: Conditional percentages
B. Display: Scatterplot; Numerical measure: Correlation coefficient
,C. Display: 2-way tables; Numerical measure: Conditional percentages
D. Display: 2-way tables; Numerical measure: Mean
Correct Answer: C. Display: 2-way tables; Numerical measure: Conditional
percentages
Rationale: Two-way tables (contingency tables) are used to display the relationship
between two categorical variables, and conditional percentages are used to compare
the distributions across categories.
3. What display and numerical measure do you use for comparing categorical data
to quantitative data?
A. Display: Side-by-side boxplots; Numerical measure: Conditional percentages
B. Display: Scatterplot; Numerical measure: Correlation coefficient
C. Display: Side-by-side boxplots; Numerical measure: Mean/Median
D. Display: 2-way tables; Numerical measure: Conditional percentages
Correct Answer: C. Display: Side-by-side boxplots; Numerical measure:
Mean/Median
Rationale: Side-by-side boxplots are used to visualize the distribution of a quantitative
variable across different categories of a categorical variable. Numerical measures like the
mean or median are used to compare the center of the groups.
4. When working with two-variable data, if both variables are quantitative, what is
the most appropriate choice to display the data?
A. Side-by-side boxplots
B. 2-way tables
C. Scatterplot
D. Pie chart
Correct Answer: C. Scatterplot
Rationale: Scatterplots are the standard graphical tool for displaying the relationship
between two quantitative variables. They allow you to see trends, clusters, and outliers
in the data.
,5. What is the mean of the following data set? {12, 15, 18, 21, 24}
A. 15
B. 18
C. 20
D. 24
Correct Answer: B. 18
Rationale: The mean is the average, calculated by summing all values and dividing by
the number of values. (12+15+18+21+24)/5 = 90/5 = 18.
6. What is the median of the following data set? {10, 15, 22, 27, 30}
A. 10
B. 15
C. 22
D. 27
Correct Answer: C. 22
Rationale: The median is the middle value in an ordered data set. In a set of five
numbers ordered from least to greatest, the median is the third number.
7. What is the median of the following data set? {4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24}
A. 12
B. 14
C. 16
D. 18
Correct Answer: B. 14
Rationale: With an even number of data points, the median is the average of the two
middle numbers. The two middle numbers are 12 and 16, and their average is (12+16)/2
= 14.
8. What is the mode of the following data set? {2, 3, 3, 5, 7, 7, 7, 8}
A. 3
, B. 5
C. 7
D. 8
Correct Answer: C. 7
Rationale: The mode is the value that appears most frequently in a data set. The
number 7 appears three times, which is more than any other number.
9. A data set has a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 5. What is the z-score
for a data point with a value of 60?
A. -2
B. -1
C. 1
D. 2
Correct Answer: D. 2
Rationale: The z-score is calculated as (x - mean) / standard deviation. (60 - 50) / 5 = 10
/ 5 = 2.
10. A data set has a mean of 80 and a standard deviation of 4. What is the z-score
for a data point with a value of 72?
A. -2
B. -1
C. 1
D. 2
Correct Answer: A. -2
Rationale: The z-score is (72 - 80) / 4 = - = -2.
11. What is the range of the following data set? {5, 12, 15, 21, 28}
A. 15
B. 21
