1 2 3 4 5 2 of 5 Next 04:03 Researchers are studying the affects of a new drug on cholesterol levels, measured in \( \mathrm{mg} / \mathrm{dL} \). The cholesterol levels of patients in their study are shown. \[ 158,162,171,172,175,175,176,178,180,183,185 \] Which measure of center should the researchers use to summarize the data? What is the value of this measure? The researchers should choose the \( \square \) . The value of this measure is \( \square \) .

For this dataset, researchers should choose the **mean** as the measure of center because it provides a good overall average when dealing with a relatively small, symmetric dataset. To find the mean, you sum all the cholesterol levels \( (158 + 162 + 171 + 172 + 175 + 175 + 176 + 178 + 180 + 183 + 185) \) and then divide by the number of values (11). This gives a mean of \( 175.36 \, \mathrm{mg/dL} \). To ensure accurate results, it's essential to consider the impact of any outliers on your data set. In cholesterol measurements, extreme values can skew results. Always double-check the distribution of values before sticking to one measure, as it might skew your understanding of the patient’s overall health more than you think!