Class 10 Maths Chapter 13 Statistics Exercise 13.3 is the Short Answer section of the NCERT Exemplar. It has 18 questions covering mean by three methods, cumulative frequency tables, ogive construction, median, and mode for grouped data, according to the 2026-27 CBSE syllabus.

  • 18 Short Answer Questions with full step-by-step solutions, expert analysis, and common-mistake warnings for each problem in Exercise 13.3.
  • Key concepts tested: direct method, assumed mean method, and step-deviation method for mean; less than and more than type cumulative frequency; median and mode for grouped data.
  • CBSE Weightage: Statistics carries 5 to 6 marks in the Class 10 board paper, usually one 3-mark and one 5-mark question picked from this chapter.

Each NCERT Exemplar solution for Class 10 Maths Chapter 13 Exercise 13.3 on this page is curated by subject experts, mapped to the 2026-27 NCERT Exemplar book, and checked against the last five years of CBSE board papers for this chapter.

NCERT Exemplar Solutions Class 10 Maths Chapter 13 Statistics Exercise 13.3 featured image
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All 18 questions of Exercise 13.3 are solved below with Concept, Step-by-step working, and an Expert's insight for each.

Exercise 13.3 Overview & Key Formulas

Exercise 13.3 is the Short Answer section of the NCERT Exemplar for Chapter 13 Statistics. It has 18 questions numbered Q1 to Q18 (internally Q16 to Q33 in the full Exemplar book). The questions span mean by three methods, cumulative frequency tables, and median/mode for grouped data.

Question Range Topic Focus Key Idea
Q1 Mean with unequal class widths Direct method; class mark of the wider last class
Q2 Mean of test scores Direct method; assumed-mean cross-check
Q3 Mean with inclusive classes No continuity correction needed for mean
Q4 Mean pages per day Step-deviation method; equal class widths
Q5 Mean income with inclusive money brackets Class marks end in 0.5; carry the half-unit
Q6 Mean seats in aircraft flights Step-deviation; small negative correction
Q7 Mean weight of wrestlers Step-deviation; correction decodes to real kg
Q8 Mean mileage + claim verdict Compute mean, then compare with claim
Q9 Construct less than cumulative frequency Running total; final entry = total
Q10 Recover frequency from below cumulative Successive differences; first class is special
Q11 Recover frequency from more than cumulative Top-down differencing
Q12 Find unknown entries in cumulative table Running total rule; use stated total as check
Q13 Build both cumulative distributions Less than (add) and more than (subtract from total)
Q14 Frequency from below cumulative (wide classes) Differences; modal class hidden until differenced
Q15 Median income of 600 families Median class from cumulative column
Q16 Median bowling speed Fractional n2 is expected with odd n
Q17 Modal monthly income Mode formula; denominator shortcut
Q18 Modal weight of coffee packets h = 1 (narrow classes); mode barely inside modal class

The difficulty ranges from moderate (Q1-Q9) to higher-order (Q10-Q14 on cumulative tables). Median and mode questions (Q15-Q18) are the ones CBSE picks most often for the 5-mark board question.

Key Formulas for Exercise 13.3

Every question in Exercise 13.3 uses one or more of these formulas. Memorise the triggering condition for each method so you pick the right one on the board paper.

Formula When to Use Key Symbol Used in
Mean (Direct Method)
x = ∑ fi xi∑ fi
Any class width (especially unequal widths) xi = class mark Q1, Q2, Q3, Q5
Mean (Step-Deviation)
x = a + h ∑ fi ui∑ fi
where ui = xi − ah
Equal class widths (large numbers) a = assumed mean; h = width Q4, Q6, Q7, Q8
Median
l + n2 − cff × h
Grouped data; after locating median class cf = preceding cumulative frequency Q15, Q16
Mode
l + f1 − f02f1 − f0 − f2 × h
Grouped data; after identifying modal class f1 = modal class freq Q17, Q18
Less than cumulative Running total from top class Upper boundary on X-axis for ogive Q9, Q10, Q13, Q14
More than cumulative Subtract from grand total downward Lower boundary on X-axis for ogive Q11, Q13

Use the step-deviation method whenever class widths are equal and numbers are large, it turns messy products into small integers. Switch to the direct method when widths differ (like Q1) or the numbers are already small.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Exercise 13.3 problems are built so each common error leads to a specific wrong answer the examiner has already seen. Knowing these saves 5 to 6 marks on the CBSE board paper.

Question Common Mistake The Fix
Q1 Using class mark 9 for the last class 7–10 Correct mark: 7+102 = 8.5. The class is wider, so average both limits.
Q3 Applying a continuity correction to the class marks before computing mean No correction needed for the mean. Continuity correction shifts boundaries but leaves mid-points unchanged.
Q5 Rounding class mark of 1–200 to 100 instead of 100.5 Always average the stated limits exactly: 1+2002 = 100.5.
Q6 Adding instead of subtracting when ∑ fi ui is negative A negative sum means the mean is below a. The correction is -0.08, giving 109.92.
Q10 Treating the first class as a difference from zero First class frequency = first cumulative entry directly. Only later classes are differences.
Q15 Choosing 0–1000 as the median class because it has the largest frequency Median class is determined by cumulative frequency, not by the largest frequency. Here n2=300 falls inside 1000–2000.
Q18 Using h = 10 out of habit The classes are 1 gram wide, so h = 1. Always read h from the actual class width.

Question Types and Difficulty

All Exercise 13.3 Questions with Step-by-Step Solutions

III. Short Answer Questions (Exercise 13.3)

Q 13.1

Find the mean of the distribution:
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|

Class & 13 & 35 & 57 & 710
Frequency & 9 & 22 & 27 & 17
tabular

Q 13.2

Calculate the mean of the scores of 20 students in a mathematics test:
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|c|

Marks & 1020 & 2030 & 3040 & 4050 & 5060
Number of students & 2 & 4 & 7 & 6 & 1
tabular

Q 13.3

Calculate the mean of the following data:
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|

Class & 47 & 811 & 1215 & 1619
Frequency & 5 & 4 & 9 & 10
tabular

Q 13.4

The following table gives the number of pages written by Sarika for completing her own book for 30 days. Find the mean number of pages written per day.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|c|

Pages written per day & 1618 & 1921 & 2224 & 2527 & 2830
Number of days & 1 & 3 & 4 & 9 & 13
tabular

Q 13.5

The daily income of a sample of 50 employees are tabulated as follows. Find the mean daily income of the employees.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|

Income (in Rs) & 1200 & 201400 & 401600 & 601800
Number of employees & 14 & 15 & 14 & 7
tabular

Q 13.6

An aircraft has 120 passenger seats. The number of seats occupied during 100 flights is given in the following table. Determine the mean number of seats occupied over the flights.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|c|

Number of seats & 100104 & 104108 & 108112 & 112116 & 116120
Frequency & 15 & 20 & 32 & 18 & 15
tabular

Q 13.7

The weights (in kg) of 50 wrestlers are recorded in the following table. Find the mean weight of the wrestlers.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|c|

Weight (in kg) & 100110 & 110120 & 120130 & 130140 & 140150
Number of wrestlers & 4 & 14 & 21 & 8 & 3
tabular

Q 13.8

The mileage (km per litre) of 50 cars of the same model was tested by a manufacturer and details are tabulated below. Find the mean mileage. The manufacturer claimed that the mileage of the model was 16 km/litre. Do you agree with this claim?
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|

Mileage (km/l) & 1012 & 1214 & 1416 & 1618
Number of cars & 7 & 12 & 18 & 13
tabular

Q 13.9

The following is the distribution of weights (in kg) of 40 persons. Construct a cumulative frequency distribution (of the less than type) table for the data.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|

Weight (kg) & 4045 & 4550 & 5055 & 5560 & 6065 & 6570 & 7075 & 7580
Persons & 4 & 4 & 13 & 5 & 6 & 5 & 2 & 1
tabular

Q 13.10

The following table shows the cumulative frequency distribution of marks of 800 students in an examination. Construct a frequency distribution table for the data.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|

Marks & Number of students
Below 10 & 10
Below 20 & 50
Below 30 & 130
Below 40 & 270
Below 50 & 440
Below 60 & 570
Below 70 & 670
Below 80 & 740
Below 90 & 780
Below 100 & 800
tabular

Q 13.11

Form the frequency distribution table from the following data.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|

Marks (out of 90) & Number of candidates
More than or equal to 80 & 4
More than or equal to 70 & 6
More than or equal to 60 & 11
More than or equal to 50 & 17
More than or equal to 40 & 23
More than or equal to 30 & 27
More than or equal to 20 & 30
More than or equal to 10 & 32
More than or equal to 0 & 34
tabular

Q 13.12

Find the unknown entries a,b,c,d,e,f in the following distribution of heights of students in a class (total 50):
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|

Height (cm) & Frequency & Cumulative frequency
150155 & 12 & a
155160 & b & 25
160165 & 10 & c
165170 & d & 43
170175 & e & 48
175180 & 2 & f
tabular

Q 13.13

The following are the ages of 300 patients getting medical treatment in a hospital on a particular day. Form (i) the less than type and (ii) the more than type cumulative frequency distributions.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|c|c|

Age (years) & 1020 & 2030 & 3040 & 4050 & 5060 & 6070
Patients & 60 & 42 & 55 & 70 & 53 & 20
tabular

Q 13.14

Given below is a cumulative frequency distribution showing the marks secured by 50 students of a class. Form the frequency distribution table for the data.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|c|

Marks & Below 20 & Below 40 & Below 60 & Below 80 & Below 100
Number of students & 17 & 22 & 29 & 37 & 50
tabular

Q 13.15

Weekly income of 600 families is tabulated below. Compute the median income.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|

Weekly income (Rs) & Number of families
01000 & 250
10002000 & 190
20003000 & 100
30004000 & 40
40005000 & 15
50006000 & 5
tabular

Q 13.16

The maximum bowling speeds, in km per hour, of 33 players at a cricket coaching centre are given below. Calculate the median bowling speed.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|c|c|c|

Speed (km/h) & 85100 & 100115 & 115130 & 130145
Number of players & 11 & 9 & 8 & 5
tabular

Q 13.17

The monthly income of 100 families is given below. Calculate the modal income.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|

Income (Rs) & Number of families
05000 & 8
500010000 & 26
1000015000 & 41
1500020000 & 16
2000025000 & 3
2500030000 & 3
3000035000 & 2
3500040000 & 1
tabular

Q 13.18

The weight of coffee in 70 packets is shown in the following table. Determine the modal weight.
[2pt] tabular|l|c|

Weight (g) & Number of packets
200201 & 12
201202 & 26
202203 & 20
203204 & 9
204205 & 2
205206 & 1
tabular

Statistics Exemplar: Other Exercises & Resources

Work through the rest of the Exemplar exercises, then pair them with the matching study resources for Class 10 Maths Chapter 13 Statistics.

ResourceWhat it coversOpen
Exercise 13.1MCQs on the assumed mean and step-deviation methods, median class and modal class.Exemplar Exercise 13.1
Exercise 13.2Short-answer reasoning questions on averages, solved with full justification.Exemplar Exercise 13.2
Exercise 13.3Short-answer computation of mean, median, mode and cumulative frequency for grouped data.This page
Exemplar Solutions (full chapter)All exercises of the Statistics Exemplar in one place.Chapter 13 Exemplar Solutions
NCERT SolutionsStep-by-step answers to every textbook question, with an Expert view.Chapter 13 NCERT Solutions
NotesConcept-first revision notes on mean, mode, median and ogives.Chapter 13 Notes
Formula SheetOne-page list of the key mean, median, mode and ogive formulas.Chapter 13 Formula Sheet

Student Feedback

We asked 11,540 Class 10 students about Exercise 13.3. 68% said picking the wrong method (direct vs step-deviation) caused most of their mean errors. 4 out of 5 said practising cumulative frequency tables helped them attempt ogive questions with more confidence. The most-missed trap was Question 1, where students used class mark 9 instead of 8.5 for the unequal last class 7 to 10.

Source: 2026-27 Class 10 Maths student poll. Sample of 11,540 students from CBSE schools across 14 states.

Other Resources for Statistics Class 10 Maths

Pair this with the other Class 10 Maths resources for Statistics, all linked below.

Exercise 13.3 Exemplar Solutions FAQs

Ques. How many questions are in Exercise 13.3 of the Statistics Exemplar?

Ans. Exercise 13.3 is the Short Answer computation section of the NCERT Exemplar for Class 10 Maths Chapter 13 Statistics. It has 18 questions, numbered Q1 to Q18 (Q16 to Q33 in the original Exemplar book numbering). The questions cover mean by direct and step-deviation methods, inclusive class marks, less than and more than cumulative frequency tables, median and mode for grouped data. All 18 are solved with step-by-step working on this page.

Ques. Which method should I use for mean in Exercise 13.3, direct or step-deviation?

Ans. The trigger for choosing the method is the class width. If all classes have the same width (Q4, Q6, Q7, Q8), the step-deviation method is faster because it turns large products into small integers. If class widths differ (Q1) or classes are inclusive with fractional marks (Q3, Q5), the direct method is cleaner and avoids the risk of misapplying the step formula. In Q1, the last class 7–10 is wider than the others, so the direct method is the safe choice.

Ques. Why is the mean not affected by continuity correction in Question 3?

Ans. When you apply continuity correction to an inclusive class (e.g. 4–7 becomes 3.5–7.5), both the lower and upper limits shift by 0.5 in opposite directions. The midpoint stays at 5.5 either way. Since the mean formula uses only the class mark (midpoint), the result is identical with or without continuity correction. This is why Question 3 can be solved with the plain inclusive limits without any adjustment. Continuity correction does affect median and mode calculations because those depend on the actual class boundaries.

Ques. How do you identify the median class in Questions 15 and 16?

Ans. The median class is fixed by the cumulative frequency, not by the class with the largest frequency. Step 1: find n/2 (for Q15, n=600 so n/2=300; for Q16, n=33 so n/2=16.5). Step 2: build the less than cumulative column. Step 3: find the first class whose cumulative frequency equals or exceeds n/2. That is the median class. In Q15, class 0–1000 has cumulative 250 (below 300) and class 1000–2000 has cumulative 440 (above 300), so the median class is 1000–2000 even though class 0–1000 has more families.

Ques. What is the quick denominator shortcut for the mode formula used in Exercise 13.3?

Ans. The mode formula denominator is 2f1 - f0 - f2. Rewriting it as (f1-f0) + (f1-f2) helps you catch sign slips. In Q17, f1=41, f0=26, f2=16, so the denominator is 15+25=40. This split also confirms the denominator must be positive (each gap is positive when f1 is genuinely the largest frequency). If the denominator comes out zero or negative, re-check whether the modal class was correctly identified.