Measures of Central Tendency

Learning Objectives

Upon the completion of this topic, you are expected to:

a. define and differentiate the measure of central tendency: mean, median and
mode;
b. give the advantage of mean, median and mode; and
c. calculate mean, median and mode for a grouped and ungrouped data;
d. identify the most appropriate measure of central tendency in a certain
distribution.

Presentation of Content

I. Mean
Are you familiar with the averages? One of them is the mean.
The mean is the most popular and well known measure of central tendency. It
can be used with both discrete and continuous data, although its use is most
often with continuous data. The mean is equal to the sum of all the values in the
data set divided by the number of values in the data set.

So, if we have n values in a data set and they have values x1, x2, ..., xn, the
sample mean, usually denoted by 𝑥̅ (pronounced x bar), is:
(𝑥̅1 + 𝑥̅2 + ⋯ + 𝑥̅𝑛)
𝑥̅ =
𝑛

This formula is usually written in a slightly different manner using the Greek
capital letter , pronounced "sigma", which means "sum of".
∑ 𝑥̅
𝑥̅ =
𝑛

You may have noticed that the above formula refers to the sample mean.
Why have we called it a sample mean?

In statistics, samples and populations have very different meanings and these
differences are very important, even if, in the case of the mean, they are
calculated in the same way.

To acknowledge that we are calculating the population mean and not the
sample mean, we use the Greek lower case letter "mu", denoted as µ:
∑ 𝑥̅
𝜇 =
𝑁
Characteristics of the Mean
These are some of the characteristics of the mean.
1. The mean is essentially a model of your data set.
2. It includes every value in your data set as part of the calculation.
3. Mean is the only measure of central tendency where the sum of the
deviations of each value from the mean is always zero.
4. The mean is a reliable or a more stable measurement to use when
sample data are being used to make inferences about populations.
5. The mean is sensitive or is greatly affected by the values, high or low
and this makes in appropriate average to use.
6. The mean is the most commonly used, easily understood, easily
calculated, and generally recognized average.
7. It is best measure to use when the distribution is symmetrical.
8. It is useful measure for inferential statistics.
9. It is used to obtain an average value of a series of value after each item
is weighted. This is referred to as weighted mean.

Mean Computation for Ungrouped Data

For ungrouped data, the mean is computed by simply adding all the values and
dividing the sum by the total number of items. For the sample mean, the formula
is:
∑𝑛𝑖=1 𝑥̅𝑖
𝑥̅ =
𝑛
Where:
𝑥̅ = 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛
𝑥̅ = 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚

𝑛 = 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒

𝛴 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓

In simpler form, the formula for the sample mean may be presented as:
∑ 𝑥̅
𝑥̅ =
𝑛
And for the population mean, it is:
∑ 𝑥̅
𝜇 =
𝑁
Where:

µ= 𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑁 = 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑥̅ 𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

Example:
Let us consider the scores of Michael in his statistics class. The scores have been
arrayed in descending order.

76 76 62 51 45 27 12 6 2
Solution:
Since in the case of Michael’s scores, Σx = 357, Michael’s mean score is
∑ 𝑥̅ 357
𝑥̅ = = = 39.67
𝑛 9

Example:
The grade in Geometry of 10 students are 87, 84, 85, 85, 86, 90, 79, 82, 78,
and 76. What is the average grade of the 10 students?

Solution:
∑ 𝑥̅ 832
𝑥̅ = = = 83.2
𝑛 10

Hence, the average grade of the 10 students is 83.2.

Example:
The weight of four bags of wheat (in kg) are 103, 105, 102, and 104. Find the
mean weight.

Solution:
∑ 𝑥̅ 414
𝑥̅ = = = 103.5 𝑘𝑔
𝑛 4

II. Median
The median (𝑥̅̃) of a set of data is a measure of central tendency that occupies
the middle position in an array of values.
It is the number that divides the bottom 50% of the data from the top 50%, that
is, half the data items fall below the median and half above that value. In an odd
number of items the median is simply the middle value. If n is even, the median
is the average of the two middle data values in its ordered list.
The middle value or term in a set of data arranged according to size/ magnitude
(either increasing or decreasing) is called the median.
Uses of Median
The median is used whenever an average of position is desired. It is used when
open– ended intervals are involved. Since the median divides a distribution in
half, it is also frequently used as an average in testing general abilities, like in
intelligence test.

Characteristics of Median
The median is another widely used average, easy to understand, and easy to
compute. It cannot be found unless the items are arranged in an ascending or
descending order. It is the point that divides the frequency distribution into two
halves. The median is not affected by the extremely high or low values, so it is
better choice when a distribution is in p badly skewed. It may be determined in
open– ended distribution.
Median Computation for Ungrouped Data
The median is computed as follows:
1. Arrange the items in an array.
2. Identify the middle value.

Example 1:
The library logbook shows that 58, 60, 54, 35, and 97 books, respectively,
were borrowed from Monday to Friday last week. Find the median.

Solution:
Arrange the (58, 60, 54, 35, and 97) data in increasing order.
35, 54, 58, 60, 97
We can see from the arranged numbers that the middle value is 58. Thus, the
median is 58.

Example 2:
The amount of money a balut vendor earned on five randomly selected days
are:
₱ 86, ₱ 109, ₱ 141, ₱ 74, ₱ 123

Solution:
Making an array, we have:
₱ 74, ₱ 86, ₱ 109, ₱ 123, ₱ 141
Since there are 5 (odd) items,
𝑥̅̃ = ₱ 109
Example 3:

Andrea’s scores in 10 quizzes during the first quarter are 8, 7, 6, 10, 9, 5, 9, 6,

10, and 7. Find the median.

Solution:
Arrange the scores in increasing order. 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10
Since the number of measures is even, then the median is the average of the
two middle scores.
7+8
𝑥̅̃ = = 7.5
2

Hence, the median of the set of scores is 7.5.

III. Mode
The mode (𝑥̅̂), by definition, is the most commonly occurring value in a series.
A series may have more than one or none at all.
For the grouped data, the class with the greatest frequency is called the modal
class.
A distribution with only one mode is said to be unimodal. In case wherein there
are two class limits with the highest frequency, the distribution is referred to as
bimodal. Further, the distribution is multimodal when there are three or more
modes.

Uses of Mode
It is used when a quick estimate of the average is needed. It helps us spot a trend.
Being the most frequently occurring value, if you are a shoe producer or a
clothing manufacturer and you want to know the size that will fit the greatest
number of people, you would seek the modal size.
Obviously, the shoe producer or clothing manufacturer will produce more shoes
or dresses in the most commonly purchased size than in other sizes.
The mode therefore provides information to businessman and producers that
would help them in business and decision making.
The mode is the measure or value which occurs most frequently in a set of data.
It is the value with the greatest frequency.

Characteristics of Mode
It is the simplest central tendency. It is not affected by extreme values in a
distribution but unreliable measure of central tendency.
It is not affected by extreme values in a distribution. It is not necessary to
arrange the item before the mode is known.
The mode may not exist in some set of data or there maybe more than one mode
in other data set.

Mode Computation for Ungrouped Data

For ungrouped data, the most frequent occurring score is the mode.
To find the mode for a set of data:
1. Select the measure that appear most often in the set;
2. If two or more measures appear the same number of times, then each of
these values is a mode; and
3. If every measure appears the same number of times, then the set of data
has no mode.

Example 1
Find the mode of the following values.
3, 4, 7, 7, 7, 8, 11, 11, 14, 18, 19

Answer
𝑥̅̂ = 7

Example 2
Determine the mode of the following set of data.
6, 6, 6, 9, 9, 9, 9, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 21, 21, 35, 35

Answer
𝑥̅̂ = 12 and 15

Application

Activity 1
Directions: Supply the information reqiured by each item.
1. The enrolment in a school in last five years was 605, 710, 745, 835
and 910. What was the average enrolment per year?

2. A random sample of six cashiers in a department store shows the

following balances at the end of the day: ₱ 16,640.39; ₱ 26,915.59; ₱ 6,
827.08; ₱ 101,791.17, ₱ 61,811.75, and ₱ 20,244.12. Compute the mean
balance.

3. A group of students obtained the following scores in a math quiz: 8, 7,

9, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3. Arranging these scores in increasing order, find the
median.

4. If the score 5 of another student is included in the list: 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8,

8, 9, 10. What is the middle score?
5. Find the mode in the given sets of scores. (10, 12, 10, 9, 13, 11, 10)