Step 1 :The question is asking how the distribution of car prices will be affected if the salesman starts selling cars that cost less than $5,000. The salesman projects selling 200 of these cheaper cars over the next 10 years.
Step 2 :The mean of a distribution is the average value, calculated by summing all the values and dividing by the number of values. If the salesman starts selling cheaper cars, this will add a large number of lower values to the distribution, which will pull the mean down, or shift it to the left.
Step 3 :The median of a distribution is the middle value when all the values are arranged in ascending order. If the salesman starts selling cheaper cars, this will add a large number of lower values to the distribution, but it will not necessarily change the middle value, or the median.
Step 4 :Therefore, the correct answer is D. The mean will shift to the left.
Step 5 :\(\boxed{\text{D. The mean will shift to the left.}}\)