Mathematics 7

Statistics Lesson 5:
Measures of Central Tendency of Ungrouped Data

A Measure of Central Tendency is a summary statistic that represents the center point or typical value of a dataset.
These measures indicate where most values in a distribution fall and are also referred to as the central location of a
distribution. You can think of it as the tendency of data to cluster around a middle value.
In statistics, the three most common Measures of Central Tendency are the mean, median, and mode. Each of these
measures calculates the location of the central point using a different method.

MEAN
➢ The mean (also known as the average) is the most commonly used measure of central tendency. It is used to
describe a set of data where the measures cluster or concentrate at a point. As the measures cluster around each
other, a single value appears to represent distinctively the typical value.
➢ It is the sum of all the values of x divided by the number of n values in the observation and denoted by x̅ ( read as ”x
bar” ).

To find the mean of an ungrouped data, use the formula:

where: 𝐱̅= mean
𝑥 +𝑥 +𝑥 +⋯+𝑥𝑛
𝐱̅= 1 2 3 x = given data
𝑛
n = number of values in the observation
Illustrative Example 1: Illustrative Example 2:
The grades in Statistics of 10 students are 87, 84, 85, The ages (in years) of 5 boys are 15 , 14, 18 , 14 , and
85, 86, 90, 79, 82, 78, 76. What is the average grade? 19. Find the mean age of 5 boys.

Solution: Solution:
𝑥 +𝑥 +𝑥 +⋯+𝑥𝑛 𝑥 +𝑥 +𝑥 +⋯+𝑥𝑛
𝐱̅ = 1 2 3 𝐱̅ = 1 2 3
𝑛 𝑛
87 + 84 + 85 +85 +86 + 90 + 79 + 82 + 78 + 76 15 + 14 + 18 +14 +19
𝐱̅ = 𝐱̅ =
10 5
832 80
𝐱 ̅= 𝐱 ̅=
10 5
𝐱 ̅ =83.2 𝐱 ̅ =16

Interpretation: The average grade of the 10 students Interpretation: The mean age of the 5 boys is 16
is 83.2. years old.

MEDIAN
➢ The median is the middle value that splits the dataset in half.
To find the median: 1. arrange data from smallest to largest or vice versa; and
2. find the data point that has an equal amount of values above and below it.
*The method for locating the median varies slightly depending on whether your dataset has an even or odd
number of values.

Illustrative Example 1:
The grades in Statistics of 9 students are 84, 85, 85, 86, 90, 79, 82, 78, 76. What is the median?

Solution:
1. Arrange from smallest to largest or vice versa.
76 78 79 82 84 85 85 86 90
2. Since the number of data set is odd (n=9), there’s only one middle value. Observe that there are exactly 4 values
before 84 and 4 values after it.

The median of the given data is 84.

Interpretation: Half of the values are less than or equal to 84, and half of the values
are greater than or equal to 84.
Illustrative Example 2:
The grades in Statistics of 10 students are 87, 84, 85, 85, 86, 90, 79, 82, 78, 76. What is the median?

Solution:
1. Arrange from smallest to largest or vice versa.
76 78 79 82 84 85 85 86 87 90

2. Find the middle value that has an equal amount of values. Since the data set is even (n=10), we have 2 middle
values.

3. When there is an even number of values, find the two middle scores and get the average to get the median.
84+85 169
=
2 2
md = 84.5
The median of the given data is 84.5.
Interpretation: Half of the values are less than or equal to 84.5, and half the
values are greater than or equal to 84.5.

MODE
➢ The mode is the value that occurs the most frequent in your data set. On a bar chart, the mode is the highest
bar.
➢ Classifications of mode
Unimodal – the data has 1 mode.
Bimodal – the data have 2 modes.
Multimodal – the data have 3 or more modes.
Mode does not exist – no value repeats, the data do not have a mode.
Illustrative Example 1: Illustrative Example 2: Illustrative Example 3:
The grades in Statistics of 10 The ages (in years) of eight Grade The five Grade 7 contestants’
students are 87, 84, 85, 85, 86, 7 students are 12, 13,12, 15, 12, scores in the Math Quiz Bee are
90, 79, 82, 78, 76. What is the 13, 14, and 13. What is the mode? 29, 32, 23, 45 and 38. What is the
mode? mode?
Solution:
Solution: 12, 12, 12,13, 13, 13, 14, 15 Solution:
87, 84, 85, 85, 86, 90, 79, 82, 78, 29, 32, 23, 45, 38
76 The modes are 12 and 13 because
these are the ages that have the There is no mode or mode does
The mode is 85 since it has the most frequency. This distribution not exist because all frequencies
most frequency. This distribution is said to be bimodal since it has are equal.
is said to be unimodal because it two modes.
has only one mode. Interpretation: The scores of the
Interpretation: Most of the five Grade 7 students in the Math
Interpretation: 85 is the most Grade 7 students are 12 and 13 Quiz Bee are different from one
common grade of the students in years old. another. Therefore, there is only
Statistics. one winner in each place or rank.
Name:_______________________________________________ Grade & Section:__________________

MATH 7 Worksheet #5: Measures of Central Tendency of Ungrouped Data

I. Identify the terms being described.
___________________1. The value that occurs the most frequent in your data set.
___________________2. The middle value that splits the dataset in half.
___________________3. The summary statistic that represents the center point or typical value of a dataset.
___________________4. It is also known as the average.
___________________5. The data with 2 modes is called . . .

II. Solve for the mean, median and mode of the following data.
Example: 14, 14, 11, 9, 11, 12, 17, 14, 10
Arrange from smallest to largest :
9, 10, 11, 11, 12, 14, 14, 14, 17
Mean: Mode: 9, 10, 11, 11, 12, 14, 14, 14, 17
9+10+11+11+12+14+14+14+17
𝐱̅ =
9
112 mo= 14
𝐱̅ = 𝐱̅ =12.44
9
Median: 9, 10, 11, 11, 12, 14, 14, 14, 17 Classification of Mode: unimodal
md = 12

6-10 7, 8, 12, 11, 6, 8, 7, 8, 9, 10, 5

Arrange from smallest to largest:

Mean: Mode:
𝐱̅ =
mo=

Median: Classification of Mode:

md =
11-15 12, 10, 12, 11, 14, 13, 15, 15, 19
Arrange from smallest to largest:

Mean: Mode:
𝐱̅ =
mo=

Median: Classification of Mode:

md =
16-20 11, 21, 19, 18, 16, 17, 24, 15, 27, 25
Arrange from smallest to largest:

Mean: Mode:
𝐱̅ =
mo=

Median: Classification of Mode:

md =