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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.

We are given, the mean and variance of eight observations are $9$ and $9.25$ respectively.

Also, we have six observations $6$, $7$, $10$, $12$, $12$ and $13$.

Suppose that the remaining two observations to be $a$ and $b$.

Now the observations are $6$, $7$, $10$, $12$, $12$, $13$, $a$ and $b$.

The formula to calculate mean of the observations is

$\overline X  = \frac{{6 + 7 + 10 + 12 + 12 + 13 + a + b}}{8}$

$9 = \frac{{60 + a + b}}{8}$

$60 + a + b = 72$

$a + b = 72 – 60$

$a + b = 12$                                                            …… (1)

The formula for variance is given by,

Variance $ = \frac{1}{n}{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^8 {\left( {{{\rm X}_i} – {\rm X}} \right)} ^2}$

Substituting the given values to get,

$9.25 = \frac{1}{8}\left[ {{{( – 3)}^2} + {{( – 2)}^2} + {1^2} + {3^2} + {4^2} + {a^2} + {b^2} – 18(a + b) + 2 \times {9^2}} \right]$

Substituting equation (1) to get,

$9.25 = \frac{1}{8}\left[ {9 + 4 + 1 + 9 + 9 + 16 + {a^2} + {b^2} – 18 \times 12 + 162} \right]$

$9.25 = \frac{1}{8}\left[ {48 + {a^2} + {b^2} – 216 + 162} \right]$

$9.25 = \frac{1}{8}\left[ {{a^2} + {b^2} – 6} \right]$

${a^2} + {b^2} = 80$                                                …… (2)

Squaring on both sides of equation (1) gives,

${\left( {a + b} \right)^2} = {12^2}$

${a^2} + {b^2} + 2ab = 144$                                    …… (3)

Substituting equation (2) to get,

$80 + 2ab = 144$

$2ab = 144 – 80$

$2ab = 64$                                                              …… (4)

Let us subtract equation (4) from (2) to get,

${a^2} + {b^2} – 2ab = 80 – 64$

${\left( {a – b} \right)^2} = 16$

$a – b =  \pm 4$                                                      …… (5)

Solving equations (1) and (5) gives,

When $a – b = 4$ then

$a = 8$ and $b = 4$

And when $a – b =  – 4$then

$a = 4$ and $b = 8$

Thus, the remaining two observations are $4$ and $8$.