High Temperatures for Barrow, Alaska, from November 29 to December 4

Final answer:

To choose the most likely mean temperature for Barrow, Alaska, we need to understand the typical climate of the Arctic tundra. Given the options and the known average winter temperature, -9.6°F is the most realistic mean high temperature for early December.

Explanation:

The question requires us to identify the mean high temperature for Barrow, Alaska, from November 29 to December 4. In mathematics, especially statistics, the mean is calculated by summing all the values and dividing by the number of values. In this case, we do not have the exact temperatures for each day, so we cannot directly calculate the mean temperature. Instead, we must use our knowledge of the typical temperatures in the Arctic regions, where Barrow is located, to make an educated guess.

Barrow, being in the Arctic tundra, experiences very cold winters, with average temperatures well below freezing. Given the options provided, a mean temperature of -9.6°F seems the most realistic since it aligns with the average winter temperatures of the Arctic tundra, which can be as low as -34°C (-29.2°F).

The other options of 16°F, 1.6°F, and 4.3°F, although possible, are less likely as average daily high temperatures given the severe cold of the Arctic winter, especially when the area experiences almost 24 hours of darkness during this period.