Answer:
To calculate the arithmetic mean (average) of the given data set: 17, 13, 6, 8, and 21, you need to sum up all the values and then divide by the number of observations.
1. Sum up all the values:
17 + 13 + 6 + 8 + 21 = 65
2. Count the number of observations, which in this case is 5.
3. Calculate the arithmetic mean:
Mean (x) = Sum of values / Number of observations
Mean (x) = 65 / 5
Mean (x) = 13
So, the arithmetic mean of the given data set is 13.
Explanation: