Objectives

Be able to define, discuss, and compute the most commonly encountered measures of central tendency - the mean, median, and mode. Understand the properties and advantages and disadvantages of each measure. Make friends with BIG SIGMA!

CENTRAL TENDENCY

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. Benjamin Disraeli

Every year since 1950, the number of American children gunned down has doubled. Is this really true or could it just be the worst social statistic ever published?

Measures of Central Tendency

One of two major summary measures
Middle-ness (central tendency) Scatter (spread or variability)
There is increasing concern in academia about partnerships between campuses and corporations. To get around this, some companies have thought about partnering with students. So heres the question: How much money would Nike Corp. need to pay you to have the Nike swoop temporarily placed on your bare armfor all to see? Frame your answer in terms of an HOURLY WAGE, and write this wage in your notebook.

Summary statistics used to describe a distribution

The Mode, Mo
Most frequent score What is the mode in our distribution? Why is the mode is least stable measure of central tendency? What does it mean when we have a multimodal distribution?

The Median, Md
Middle score in a sequentially ordered array In other words, Md separates top 50% of the distribution from the bottom 50%. Locating with Odd Number of Scores
Md = the middle score

Locating with Even Number of Scores

Md = average of the two middle scores

To use the formula or not to use itthat is the question!

Given N is odd,

Md = X ( N +1) / 2th
Given N is even,

Md =

X(N / 2)th + X(N / 2)th + 1 2

What are you good at? What are you not so good at? In what areas of your life are you just average? Generally speaking, half of us are always above the average and half of us are below.
Lake Wobegon is an entirely different matter

If you use these formulas, remember that they provide the LOCATION of the median, not the value of it.

Garrison Keillor has made a career out of stretching statistical concepts

An average guy?

In Garrison Keillors Lake Wobegon, he tells us, all the men are strong, all the women good-looking, and all the children above average.

How about this one?

What are some descriptors of the average guy?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Height? Weight? Waist? Habits? Amount of potato chips eaten per year? Beef? Ice cream? 6. Total hours of T.V. time per year?

What does it mean to be an average guy?

The average American male is 31 years old, 5 9 tall, weighs 172 lbs, wears a size 40 suit, wears a 9 shoe, and has a 34 inch waist. Each year he eats 12.3 lbs of pasta, 26 lbs of bananas, 4 lbs of potato chips, 18 lbs of ice cream, and 79 lbs of beef. Each year he also watches television for 2567 hours and gets 585 pieces of mail. After eating his share of potato chips, reading some of his mail, and watching television, he ends the day with 7.7 hours of sleep. The next day begins with a 21-minute commute to a job at which he will work for 6.1 hours.

The Mean or Average

Formula

X=

X N

Mean = X-bar or M or X Formula for frequency distribution Example: Chapter exercise #2

Rounding Conventions
Do not round intermediary calculations to less than 2 decimal places.
88.6756 rounds to 88.68 87.67498 rounds to 87.67

The Mean as Balancing Point

Key Deviation Concept Deviations from the mean: (X M)
Some above; some below Deviations cancel out when summed

Round final calculations to 2 places.

8.43567 rounds to 8.44

(X - M) = 0 Example, p. 76 Visualization: Figure 5-3

Using the Mean

Appropriate Use of Mean, Median and Mode

Most reliable or stable--based on all values of the data Used in estimation m (mu)
Unbiased estimator of population mean

Inappropriate for extremely skewed distributions

Using the Median

Preferred when you have a small, badly skewed distribution. Median not influenced by extreme scores. 5, 5, 5, 5, 35 Mean = 55/5 = 11 Md = 5 Preferred when there are missing or arbitrarily determined scores 15,15,15,15,12,6,5,4,3: M = 90/9 = 10 Md = ____?

Using the Mode

When distribution of scores is symmetric and normal When the distribution has only one mode When you want a quick overview of the data When the data are nominal or ordinal level

Social Security: Will it or wont it?

THREE POLITICIANS RUNNING FOR OFFICE
Candidate Smith says Trouble Median Income: $17,500 Candidate Harris says Big Trouble Modal Family Income: $15,000 Governor Jones proclaims Prosperity Average Family Income: > $25,000

Go bankrupt, that is.

By 1980? By 2042? Never?

Which measure of central tendency should we trust? Why?

How can there be such debate about the numbers?