AEM214 Fundamentals of Statistics – 2021-22

CHAPTER - 2

CENTRAL TENDENCY
In statistics, a central tendency is a central or typical value for a probability distribution. It
may also be called a center or location of the distribution. The central tendency may give a
fairly good idea about the nature of the data (mean, median and mode shows the "middle
value").

Measures of Central Tendency:

In statistics we always find measures of central tendency because it always makes sense to
compare individual scores to the overall group of scores in order to be able to correctly
interpret the result. Measures of central tendency help you find the middle, or the average, of a
data set

The Arithmetic Mean is one of the most commonly used measures of central tendency. For a
set of numbers, the mean is simply the average, i.e. sum of all the numbers divided by the
number of observations.

Therefore if you want to find the average length of a group of insects, you simply take the
length of each insect, add up all these lengths and divide by the number of insects. If the
lengths of 5 insects are 6.5mm, 5.4mm, 5.8mm, 6.2mm and 5.9mm, then the mean is
(6.5+5.4+5.8+6.2+5.9)mm/5 = 5.96mm.

Merits or Advantages: It is rigidly defined. It is based on all the observation. It can be easily
calculated and understandable. It is also least affected by the sampling fluctuation. It is
amenable to algebraic treatment.

Demerits or Disadvantages: It is very much affected by the extreme values or abnormal

values of observations. The average value is may not coincide with any of the given value. It
can not be obtained by inspection. It can not be calculated cost accuracy. It can not be
calculated if single observation is missing. It can not be used for qualitative variables.

The Median is another frequently used measure of central tendency. The median is simply the
midpoint of the distribution, i.e. there are as many numbers above it as below it.

If the number of data points is odd, then the median is simply the middle number. Therefore
the median of 3, 5, 6, 9, 15 is 6.

If the number of data points is even, then the median is the mean of the middle two numbers.
Therefore the median of 2, 7, 15, 20 is (7+15)/2 = 11.

The median is particularly useful when there are a few data points that are hugely different.

Singh 2021 Page 1

 AEM214 Fundamentals of Statistics – 2021-22

Merits or Advantages: It can be easily calculated. It is easily comprehensible. Sometimes it

proves a good substitute of arithmetic mean and it is also rigidly defined. It is not at all
affected by larger and abnormal values. It can be calculated for distribution with open end
classes.

Demerits or Disadvantages: In case of even number of observations median cannot

determined exactly. It is not based on all the observation. It is not amenable to algebraic
treatment. Another commonly used measure of central tendency in specific cases is the mode.

The Mode is simply the most commonly occurring value. For example, in a class of 50
students graded on a scale of 1-5, the distribution may be as shown in the figure. The mode of
this data is 4.

Different types of data need different measures of central tendency to calculate and describe
the distribution of data.

Merits or Advantages: It is easily comprehensible. In some situations it can be observed by

simple inspection. It is easy to calculate like median. It is not at al affected by extreme values.

Demerits or Disadvantages: Mode is ill defined. It is not always possible to find a clearly
defined mode. It is not based upon all the observation. It is not capable for further
mathematical treatment. It is also more affected by sampling fluctuations.

CONCEPTS:

Mean:

(1)

However, equation (1) can only be used when the error associated with each measurement is
the same or unknown. Otherwise, the weighted average, which incorporates the standard
deviation, should be calculated using equation (2) below.

(2)

where; and xi is the data value.

Singh 2021 Page 2

 AEM214 Fundamentals of Statistics – 2021-22

Median:

Individual Series:

Median = the value of (n+1/2)th item. Where n = number of items

Continuous Series:

(a) Median = l1+ [(l2-l1)/f] x (m-c)

Where l1 and l2 are the lower and upper limits of the group in which the median is located,
f is the frequency of the median group, m is the size of the middle item (n+1/2)th and c is
the cumulative frequency of the next lower group than the median group.

(b) If Observations are given in terms of group intervals.

Median = L + [{(n/2) - c)}/f ]h n/2 (if n is even) or (n+1)/2 (if n is odd)

Where n = total frequency

L = lower limit of the median group

h = class interval
f = frequency of the median group
c = cumulative frequency of the group preceding the median group.

Mode:

Individual Series: Located by the inspection

Discrete Series:

Here the location of the mode is only simple arithmetic based upon successive groups.

Continuous Series:

(a) l1 + [(fm-f1)/(2fm-f1-f2)] x (l2-l1)

where; l1 and l2 are the lower and upper limits of the modal class, fm is the maximum
frequency , f1 is the frequency of the class preceding the modal class and f2 frequency of
the class following the modal class.

(b) Mode = 3 Median - 2 Arithmetic Mean.

For the moderately skew distribution. It should be used only when the frequency
distribution has two or more equal maximum frequencies.

Singh 2021 Page 3

 AEM214 Fundamentals of Statistics – 2021-22

Solved Examples:

Arithmetic Mean:
1. The following figures are the heights in cms. of 7 plants chosen at random. Calculate the
arithmetic mean of the heights (a) Direct Method (b) Short cut method

S. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 N=7
Ht. (Xi) 64 59 67 69 65 70 68 ΣXi = 462
Di=Xi -65 -1 -6 2 4 0 5 3 ΣDi = 7

(a) Arithmetic Mean = 462/7 = 66 cms.

(b) Arithmetic Mean = 65+ (7/7) = 66 How?
If A=65 (Mid value)
Di = Xi –A Arithmetic Mean = A+[∑Di /N ]

2. The following data give the weekly increment (in mm) of 60 plants. Calculate the average
increment per plant by direct as well as short cut method.

Weekly In. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
No. of Plants (fi) 10 16 11 8 6 4 3 2 Σfi = 60=N
fi Xi 20 48 44 40 36 28 24 18 Σfi Xi = 258
Di=Xi -A -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 (if A=5)
fi Di -30 -32 -11 0 6 8 9 8 Σ fi Di = -42

(a) Arithmetic Mean = Σfi Xi / N = 258/60 = 4.3 mm

(b) Arithmetic Mean = A + [Σ fi Di /N] (Change of Origin and Scale Method)

=5 + (-42/60) = 5 – (7/10) = 4.3 mm

3. Make a frequency table and calculate the Arithmetic Mean by Direct and Short cut
method (Change of origin and scale) from the following data.

14 16 16 14 22 13 15 24 12 23 14 20
17 21 18 18 19 20 17 16 15 11 12 21
20 17 18 19 22 23

Example
Group 11-13 13-15 15-17 17-19 19-21 21-23 23-25
Freq. fi 3 4 5 6 5 4 3 Σfi = 30 =N
Mid Value Xi 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
fi Xi 36 56 80 108 100 88 72 Σfi Xi = 540
Di=(Xi-18)/2 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
fi Di -9 -8 -5 0 5 8 9 Σ fi Di = 0

Singh 2021 Page 4

 AEM214 Fundamentals of Statistics – 2021-22

(a) Arithmetic Mean = Σfi Xi / N = 540/30 = 18

(b) Arithmetic Mean = A + [Σ fi Di /N] = 18 + (0/30) X 2= 18

Median:

1. Obtain the Median of the following items: 14, 8, 6, 12, 15, 9, and 18

Arranged in ascending order of magnitude, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 18

Median = (N+1)/2th item or (7+1)/2 = 4th item Median = 12

2. Find out the median for the following distribution

Height in cm 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50

No. of plants 22 38 46 35 20 N = 161
Cumulative freq. 22 60 106 141 161

Median = Size of {(n+1)/2}th item = 81st item and lies in the height group 20-30

Median = 20 + {(30-20)/46}(81-60) = 24.57

Mode:
1. Find out the mode of the following set of numbers.
2, 5, 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, 4, 5, 3, 5, 2, 5, 7, 1
Mode = 5 (Since Frequency of 5 is repeated 6 times

2. From the table given below, find the mode

Group 1-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-25 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-45
Freq. 7 10 16 32 24 18 10 5 1

Modal Class = 16-20

l1= 16 l2= 20 fm= 32 f1=16 f2=24

Mode = 16 + {(32-16)/(64-16-24)}(20-16)

= 16 + {(16/24) x 4} = 18.66

Geometric Mean:

1. Find the geometric of the series: 2, 4, 8

G = ( 2 x 4 x 8)1/3 = 641/3 = 4

Singh 2021 Page 5

 AEM214 Fundamentals of Statistics – 2021-22

2. Find out the geometric mean of the following frequency distribution

Marks 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40

No. of Students 3 8 3 4 Σfi = N = 20
Mid Value Xi 5 15 25 35
logXi 0.6990 1.1761 1.3979 1.5441
fi logXi 3.4950 9.4088 4.1937 6.1764 Σ fi logXi= 23.2739

GM = anti-log (23.2739/20) = anti-log (1.1637) = 14.58

Harmonic Mean (HM):

1. Calculate the Harmonic Mean of series 2, 4, 8

HM = [3/ {(1/x1) + (1/x2) + (1/x3)}]

= 3/ {(1/2)+(1/4)+(1/8)}
= 3/0.875 = 3.42

2. The marks obtained by 18 students in a test are given below. Calculate the H.M.

Marks 20 21 22 23 24 25
No. of Students 4 2 7 1 3 1 Σfi = N = 18
1/Xi .05000 .04762 .04545 .04368 .04167 .04000
fi 1/Xi .20000 .09524 .31815 .04348 .12501 .04000
Σ fi 1/Xi = 0.82188

H = {Σ fi 1/Xi }/N = 0.82188/18 = 0.04562 Therefore HM = 1/H = 21.9

Singh 2021 Page 6