The mean and variance of eight observations are 9 and 9.25, respectively. If six of the observations are 6, 7, 10, 12, 12 and 13, find the remaining two observations.
Let the remaining two observations be x and y.
Therefore, the observations are 6, 7, 10, 12, 12, 13, x, y.
From (1), we obtain
x2 + y2 + 2xy = 144 …(3)
From (2) and (3), we obtain
2xy = 64 … (4)
Subtracting (4) from (2), we obtain
x2 + y2 – 2xy = 80 – 64 = 16
⇒ x – y = ± 4 … (5)
Therefore, from (1) and (5), we obtain
x = 8 and y = 4, when x – y = 4
x = 4 and y = 8, when x – y = –4
Thus, the remaining observations are 4 and 8.