MATHEMATICS

Form 9:9

Topic: Statistics
Sub-topic: Mean, Mode and Median
Teacher: Ms. C. Thomas

Methods of data collection are: Observation, Interviewing, Questionnaire, and

Research.

Data
Before one can present and interpret information, there has to be a process of
gathering and sorting data. Just as trees are the raw material from which paper is
produced, so too, can data be viewed as the raw material from which information is
obtained. In fact, a good definition of data is "facts or figures from which
conclusions can be drawn".

Information
A good definition of information is "data that have been recorded, classified,
organized, related, or interpreted within a framework so that meaning emerges".

Statistics
Statistics represent a common method of presenting information. In general,
statistics relate to numerical data, and can refer to the science of dealing with the
numerical data itself. Above all, statistics aim to provide useful information by
means of numbers.

Frequency
In statistics the frequency of an event is the number of times the event occurred in
the experiment or the study.
Mean
The mean (or average) of a set of data values is the sum of all of the data values
divided by the number of data values.

Mode
The mode of a set of data values is the value(s) that occurs most often.

Median
The median of a set of data values is the middle value of the data set when it has
been arranged in ascending order. That is, from the smallest value to the highest
value.

Examples
Calculate the mean, mode and median of each data set below.

1) 4, 3, 8, 1, 4 Arranged: 1, 3, 4, 4, 8

Mean = (4 + 3 + 8 + 1 + 4) / 5
= 20 / 5
=4

Mode = 4

Median = 4

2) 5, 5, 3, 1, 7, 9 Arranged: 1, 3, 5, 5, 7, 9

Mean = (5 + 5 + 3 + 1 + 7 + 9) / 6
= 30 / 6
=5

Mode = 5

Median = (5 + 5) / 2
= 10 / 2
=5
Note: Whenever there are two values in the middle of the data set we average the 2
values.
A frequency table is constructed by arranging collected data values in ascending
order of magnitude with their corresponding frequencies.

Create a Tally/Frequency table using the ages of kindergarten students below

3 3 3 5 5 7 4 4 5 5 2 2

Ages Tally Frequency

2 II 2
3 III 3
4 II 2
5 IIII 4
6 0
7 I 1
Total IIII IIII II 12

3 3 3 5 5 7 4 4 5 5 2 2

Arranged: 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 5 7

Mean = (2+2+3+3+3+4+4+5+5+5+5+7) / 12
= 48 / 12
=4

Mode = 5

Median = (4+4)/2
=8/2
= 4