Measures of Center in a Distribution

The mean is what we most commonly call the average value. It is defined as follows: mean =
sum of all values total number of values

6-A

The median is the middle value in the sorted data set (or halfway between the two middle values if the number of values is even). The mode is the most common value (or group of values) in a distribution.

6-A

Middle Value for a Median

6.72 3.46

3.46 3.60

3.60 6.44

6.44 6.72

26.70 26.70 (sorted list)

(odd number of values) exact middle median is 6.44

6-A

No Middle Value for a Median

6.72 3.46 3.46 3.60 3.60 6.44 6.44 6.72 (sorted list)

(even number of values)

3.60 + 6.44 2

median is 5.02

Special Notes
A desirable characteristic of the median is that it is not affected by extreme scores Example:
Sample 1: 18, 19, 20, 22, 24 Sample 2: 18, 19, 20, 22, 47 The median is 20 in both samples

Thus, the median is not distorted by skewed distributions

6-A

Mode Examples
a. 5 5 5 3 1 5 1 4 3 5 b. 1 2 2 2 3 4 5 6 6 6 7 9 c. 1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10

Mode is 5 Bimodal (2 and

6)

No Mode

Which of the averages would be suitable for each of the following

Income of workers in a factory Height of students Marks obtained by students in an examination Dress and shoe sizes Intensity of color Rates of increase in income

Symmetric and Skewed Distributions

6-A

Mode

Mean

Median

SYMMETRIC

Mean Median

Mode

Mode Median

Mean

SKEWED LEFT (negatively)

SKEWED RIGHT (positively)

6-B

Standard Deviation
Let A = {2, 8, 9, 12, 19} with a mean of 10. Use the data set A above to find the sample standard deviation.
x (data value) 2 8 9 12 19 x mean (deviation) 2 10 = -8 8 10 = -2 9 10 = -1 12 10 = 2 19 10 = 9 Total (deviation)2 (-8)2 = 64 (-2)2 = 4 (-1)2 = 1 (2)2 = 4 (9)2 = 81 154

standard deviation =

154 = 6.2 5 1

2 standard deviaton = sum of (deviation s from the mean) total number of data values 1

Frequency Table
MEAN = ARITHMETIC MEAN = AVERAGE for Grouped Data
Class Boundaries
0 to 5

Frequency (fi)
2

Class Marks
2.5

fx
5

C.F
2

5 to 10

7.5

52.5 9

10 to 15

12

12.5

150 21

15 to 20

17.5

105 27

20 to 25

22.5

67.5 30

30

380

MEAN = ARITHMETIC MEAN = AVERAGE for Grouped Data Mean = MEDIAN Steps for Grouped Data Median: i) Find the cumulative frequency (Add the frequency column in ascending order). ii) Find
n th observation. 2
fx = 380/30 = 12.667 f

iii) Search the above observation in c.f column. Now figure out which class would contain the median on the basis of searched observation. iv) Apply the following formula to compute median.

l h ( n c. f ) f 2

Median
L = Lower limit of the class that contains the median = 10 n=f = Number of numbers = 30 CF = Number of numbers before the class containing the median = 9

f = number of numbers in the class containing the median = 12

h = class interval (size)
10 5 (30 9) = 12.5 Median = 12 2

MODE (GROUPED) = MOST Steps for Grouped Data Mode: i) Search the highest frequency in the frequency column. This is model frequency denoted by fm. (fm =12) ii) The model class is the class corresponding to model frequency. f1=7 and f2 = 6 respectively. iii) Now apply the following formula to compute mode.
Mode l h ( f m f ) 1 ) 2 f m f f 1 2

Where h is the size of modal class boundary ( h = 5 ) & l is the lower class boundary of the modal class. l( =10)

MODE (GROUPED) = MOST

Mode 10 5( 127) ) = 12.27 212 7 6

Shape of the distribution: Relation between Mean Median and Mode: i) Mean>Median>Mode (positive skewed)

ii) Mean<Median<Mode (negative skewed)

iii) Mean=Median=Mode (Symmetrical) Comment on the shape for given question: The curve is satisfying the condition (i) therefore distribution is slightly positively skewed.