The Bureau of Labor Statistics in its Monthly Labor Review published the “over-the-month” percent change in the price index for imports from April 2004 to April 2005. These data are reproduced next.

Month Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Index 0.2 1.5 –0.2 0.4 1.5 0.5 1.6 Month Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr Index –0.3 –1.4 0.6 0.9 2.0 0.8

a. Calculate the mean, standard deviation, and the interquartile range for the nine months of 2004 and the four months of 2005.

b. Compare the two averages that were calculated in part

a. What do these two measurements indicate about the price index in each time period?

c. Compare the two standard deviations that were calculated in part

a. What do these two measurements indicate about the price index in each time period?