Changing replicate count does not remove the exact spread gate. Exact arithmetic here means exact results for the stated model inputs; measured inputs still carry uncertainty and significant-figure limits.

highlighted = computed this step

Two replicates still have a mean and half-range

2 readings, 10 and 12, give mean 11 and half-range 1. The pass bit is 1.

rˉ=11,h=12\bar r=11,\quad h=1\le2
Replicate boundsMean and spread are exact gates, not a statistics model.firstsecondmeanspan

Four replicates can land exactly on the limit

4 readings have mean 11 and half-range 3. The limit is also 3, so the pass bit is 1.

h=3=3,A=1h=3=3,\quad A=1
Replicate boundsMean and spread are exact gates, not a statistics model.firstsecondthirdfourthmeanspan

A wider four-replicate set fails before reporting

4 readings still produce mean 12, but half-range 6 exceeds limit 3. The pass bit is 0.

h=6>3,A=0h=6>3,\quad A=0
Replicate boundsMean and spread are exact gates, not a statistics model.firstsecondthirdfourthmeanspan