Dr Eberhardt has been conducting a study in which he wants to know how much glucose is generated by blue-green algae when they are placed under blue light for 4 hours. There are two methods that he can used to determine glucose levels and he needs to know which one is more accurate.

In method 1, a hexokinase activity assay is used and the mean of 10 algal samples is 120 mmol, with a standard deviation of 4.8

In method 2, a glucose oxidase activity assay is used and the mean of the same 10 algal samples is 100, the standard deviation is 4.

Which method is more accurate? Choose the best answer below.

(a) both are equally accurate based on their coefficients of variation
(b) method 2, because it has a smaller standard deviation
(c) method 1, because although the standard deviation is greater so is the mean
(d) you would need to know the range in order to see which is more accurate