📊 GMAT Exam Prep

A manufacturing company tracks defects per 1,000 units produced for four production lines (P, Q, R, S) over three quarters. The company defines 'high quality' as less than 5 defects per 1,000 units. A sortable table displays this data. To identify the most consistent high-quality line, one should sort the table first by 'Production Line' and then by which other column, and what calculation should be performed?

A Sort by 'Defects per 1,000 Units' (ascending), then calculate the standard deviation for each line.
B Sort by 'Quarter' (ascending), then calculate the average 'Defects per 1,000 Units' for each line.
C Filter for 'Defects per 1,000 Units' < 5, then count the number of quarters each line meets the criteria.
D Sort by 'Production Line' (ascending), then find the maximum 'Defects per 1,000 Units' for each line.

✓ Correct Answer: Option A

Consistency implies low variability. Sorting by 'Defects' allows easy identification of overall performance. Calculating the standard deviation per line directly measures consistency. A lower standard deviation signifies higher consistency.

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