RELATIONSHIPS AMONG MEANS, MEDIANS, AND MODES

The most complete information about a distribution is obtained when all three measures of central tendency are reported. Each provides different kind of information that the teacher may need to better understand class performance. Measures of Central Tendency summarize the average or typical performance of the class as a whole. FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION SYMMETRICAL LOWER HALF OF THE DISTRIBUTION MIRRORS THE UPPER HALF Figure 1 Mean, median and mode will coincide Median will lie between the mean and the mode Mean, Median and Mode in a MEAN = MEDIAN = MODE Symmetrical Distribution SCORES 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 FREQUENCY 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Scores

SKEWED SCORES ARE PILED UP AT EITHER THE HIGH OR THE LOW END OF DISTRIBUTION, AND THERE IS A TAIL AT THE OTHER END. Tail determines whether the distribution is positively skewed or negatively skewed Figure 2 Positively skewed tail is pointed towards the high end Mean, Median and Mode in a MEAN > MEADIAN > MODE
Symmetrical Distribution

SCORES 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

FREQUENCY 0 1 1 2 2 3 4 5 7

Frequency

Mean = 3.12 Median = 3.00 Mode = 1.00

Frequency 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Mean = 5.00 Median = 5.00 Mode = 5.00

tail

Scores

Negatively skewed tail is pointed towards the low end MEAN < MEADIAN < MODE FREQUENCY 7 5 4 3 2 2 1 1 0
Mean, Median and Mode in a Symmetrical Distribution

Figure 3

SCORES 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Frequency

Mean = 6.88 Median = 7.00 Mode = 9.00

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5

tail

USE THE MEAN UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: Scores If sampling is important If other statistics require or call for a mean If there are no extreme scores in the distribution or if the teacher wants the extreme scores to play a significant role in determining central tendency USE THE MEDIAN UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: If distributions contain extreme scores, whose effects the teacher wants to minimize. If the data exist only as ranks. If a rapid measure of central tendency is required. USE THE MODE UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: If the most typical value is desired. If central tendency must be estimated quickly

Solutions to Figure 1 SCORE S 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 FREQUENCY fx 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 n=25 Solutions to Figure 2 SCORES 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 FREQUENCY fx 0 1 1 2 2 3 4 5 7 n=25 Solutions to Figure 3 SCORES 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 FREQUENCY fx 7 5 4 3 2 2 1 1 0 63 40 28 18 10 8 3 2 Mode = 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 (9 9 9 9 9 9 9) =6.88 Median = 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 (7)8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Mean = _fx_ n =__172__ 25 0 8 7 12 10 12 12 10 7 fx=78 Mode = (1 1 1 1 1 1 1)2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 =3.12 Median = 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 (3) 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 8 Mean = _fx_ n =__78__ 25 9 16 21 24 25 16 9 4 1 fx =125 Mode = 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 (5 5 5 5 5) 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 9 =5 Median = 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 (5) 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 9 Mean = _fx_ n =__125__ 25

0 n=25 fx=172

Western Mindanao State University

College of Education
Normal Road, Zamboanga City

A Report in

PED 111 (Assessment of Curriculum)

entitled

RELATIONSHIPS AMONG MEAN MEDIAN AND MODE

To be reported by:

LAMATA RONALD SAN JUAN A.K.A ANIME

Professional Education Certificate Student

To be submitted to:

DR. ANNA LOUISA R. PEREZ

Course Professor

September 2012