MATHEMATICS 11

STATISTICS

TOPICS :
MEASURES OF CENTRAL
TENDENCY
( UNGROUPED AND GROUPED DATA )

Prepared By:
Sir Emerson T. Santos
 Measures of Central Tendency
The Mean

Welcome back. I’ll be your guide again to explore a new lesson about Statistics.
By this time, you already know that statistics is everywhere, right? You are exposed to
it in your everyday dealings, and it is a part of our everyday life.

We have seen in the previous topic that tables and graphs are useful in
describing a set of data. But they provide limited information about it. Numerical
descriptive measures are used to describe the properties of a sample or population in
addition to the information that tables and graphs provide.

Now, this topic invites you to engage more in one of the most useful and
important numerical descriptive measures which is the measure of central tendency.

The mean, denoted by the symbol x, is the most frequently used measure
of central tendency. It is defined as the arithmetic average of all the scores
or groups of scores in a distribution.

Mean of Ungrouped Data

sum of observations  x

Mean ( x ) = number of observations = n

where, x – the score in a distribution

n – the number of observations in the distribution

Example:

1. Nine students received the following scores in a surprise quiz:

67, 53, 81, 69, 77, 91, 66, 76, 50.

Find the mean score.

Solution:
To find the mean, add all the scores and then divide the number by the number of
observations.

x 67 + 53 + 81 + 69 + 77 + 91 + 66 + 76 + 50
X = =
n 9

630
=

X = 70 Ans.

2. Find the mean of the following scores: 593, 673, 573, 716, 512, 614, 704, 626, 480,
502, 485, 610, 485, 560, 580, 670.
Solution :

x
X = n
593 9383
673 =

573 16
716

512 = 586.4375

614

704 X = 586.44
 626

480

502 Always round off

your answer up to
485 two decimal places.

610

485

560

580

670

9383

Mean of Grouped Data :

Mean ( x ) = sum of the product of frequency and midpoint

total number of frequencies or observations

fM
x = where,
n
f = frequency

M = midpoint

n = total number of frequencies or

observations
Example :

1. Find the mean of the data below.

Class interval f

3 - 5 2

6 - 8 3

9 - 11 2

12 - 14 6

15 - 17 11

18 - 20 12

21 - 23 5

24 - 26 5

27 - 29 4

n = 50

Solution:

1. Find the midpoint of the class interval. To find this, add the lower and the upper
interval and then divide the number by two.

Example: In the given data, the first class interval is 3 – 5. Add 3 and 5 then divide
the number by two. The midpoint is 4. Repeat the process until you reach the last
class interval.
Class interval Frequency Midpoint

3–5 2 4

6–8 3 7

9 – 11 2 10

12 – 14 6 13
 15 – 17 11 16

18 - 20 12 19

21 – 23 5 22

24 – 26 5 25

27 – 29 4 28

n = 50

2. Multiply the frequency and the midpoint to find fM. Then get the total.

Class interval f M fM

3–5 2 4 8

6–8 3 7 21

9 – 11 2 10 20

12 – 14 6 13 78

15 – 17 11 16 176

18 - 20 12 19 228

21 – 23 5 22 110

24 – 26 5 25 125

27 – 29 4 28 112

n = 50  f M = 878

3. Solve for the mean by substituting the values you got to the given formula.
fM 878
X = = = 17.56 Ans.
n 50
 Measures of Central Tendency
Median
Good day.Today, we are going to explore more on measures of central tendency.
In the first lesson, you learned about the mean and how to compute it which is very
useful not only in calculating average of grades or test scores but also in computing
mean heights, shooting average, mean earnings, average daily allowance, and so on.
As we have learned, we can calculate the mean for any data as long as we know the
number of cases involved and the values corresponding to these cases. This time, we
will be focusing on the second measure of central tendency - the median.

The Median
The median of a group of observation in an array is the value of the middle
observation. The median is also a frequently used measure of central tendency. The
median is the midpoint of a distribution: the same number of scores are above the
median as below it. The median can also be thought of as the 50th percentile. The
median is particularly appropriate when extreme values are present in the distribution.
It is also used when we need a quick calculation of the average.
Median of Ungrouped Data
The main formula in finding the median is:

X n Xn+2
+
Median = Md = 2 2 , if n is even
2

where: n = total number of observations or scores.

And
 X 1 + n

Md = , if n is odd

where: n = total number of observations or scores.

Example:

Find the median of the following scores:

1. 12, 15, 19, 21, 6, 4, 2

Solution:

First, arrange the scores from lowest to highest or from highest to lowest.

2 - X1 n = 7 (odd)

4 - X2
X1 + n
6 - X3 Mdn = = X1 + 7
2
2
12 - X4 2 = X8

15 - X5 2

19 - X6 = X4

21 - X7 Mdn = 12 Ans.

The median is 12 because based on the given, X4 is equal to 12.

 2. 18, 22, 31, 12, 3, 9, 8, 11

Solution: Arrange the scores from lowest to highest.

3 - X1 n = 8 (even)

8 - X2 Xn Xn + 2 X8 X8 + 2
+ +
Mdn = =
9 - X3 2 2 2 2

11 - X4 2 2

12 - X5 = X4 + X10

18 - X6 2

22 - X7 2

31 - X8 X4 + X5
=
2

11 + 12
=
2

= 11.5 Ans.

The median is 11.5 because the median is between 11 and 12. This is computed by
adding 11 and 12, and dividing the sum by 2.

Computation of the Median: When there is an odd number of numbers, the median
is simply the middle number. For example, the median of 2, 4, and 7 is 4. When there
is an even number of numbers, the median is the mean of the two middle numbers.
Thus, the median of the numbers 2, 4, 7, 12 is 4+7 ÷ 2 = 5.5.
The Median of Grouped Data

The formula is

n
- Cfp
2
Md = Xlb + i

fm

Where: Xlb - lower boundary of the median class

Cfp - cumulative frequency for the class interval preceding

the median

fm - frequency of the median class

i - interval size

n - total frequency

Example :

Find the median of the grouped data below.

Class interval Frequency

20 - 24 2

25 - 29 6

30 - 34 9

35 - 39 10

40 - 44 12

45 - 49 7

50 - 54 4

n = 50
Solution:

1. Solve for cf< by adding the frequencies from lowest to highest. In the table, the
first frequency is 2 so copy it. Add the next frequency which is 6 to get 8 and then,
add 9 to get 17, add 10 to get 27 and so on. The last number must be 50 which is
equal to n.
Class interval Frequency cf<

20 - 24 2 2

25 - 29 6 8

30 - 34 9 17

35 - 39 10 27

40 - 44 12 39

45 - 49 7 46

50 - 54 4 50

n = 50

2. To solve for Xlb , you have to find the locator first, which is n / 2 . So n / 2 is equal
to 50 /2 = 25. Locate 25 in the cf<. You can find 25 on 27 and the class interval
opposite 27 is 35 - 39. The lower boundary of this class interval is 34.5.

Class interval Frequency cf<

20 - 24 2 2

25 - 29 6 8

30 - 34 9 17 locator:

35 - 39 10 27 = n 2

40 - 44 12 39 = 50 2

45 - 49 7 46 = 25

50 - 54 4 50
3. To get the cfp, determine the cf<corresponding to the interval preceding the interval
35-39. The number before 27 is 17. 17 is the cfp.

4. fm is the frequency opposite 27, 10 is the fm.

5. Interval is the class size of each class interval. In this data the interval is 5.

Class interval frequency cf<

20 - 24 2 2

25 - 29 6 8

Xlb 30 - 34 9 17 cfp

34.5 35 - 39 10 fm 27

40 - 44 12 39

45 - 49 7 46

50 - 54 4 50

n = 50
d
6. Substitute the values you obtained in the formula used for finding the median .
s
d
Xlb = 34.5 a
s
n / 2 = 50 / 2 n 2 - cfp

Fm = 10 Mdn = Xlb + i
fm
cfp = 17

i=5

50 2 - 17

= 34.5 + 5
10
 = 34.5 + 4 = 38.5 Ans.

Measures of Central Tendency

Mode
Hello! By this time, I’m sure that you have already mastered your lesson about
the first and second measures of central tendency -the mean and the median. We have
known their importance in our everyday routine. Now, we are all ready to move to the
last lesson which is finding the mode. Are you familiar with it? I’m sure you are! If not,
don’t feel bad, I prepared discussions and activities for you to clearly understand it.

Spot the difference

Directions : Look at the pictures. What are the differences? Enumerate as many as
you can observe.

In this activity, what you actually did was to find the mode. The mode is the
value or quantity which occurs most frequently or with the most number of frequency.

The Mode

The Mode is another measure of central tendency. It is referred to as the

element or value repeated the most number of times in a distribution or the most
frequently occuring value. When the highest frequency corresponds to two elements or
values, it is said to be bimodal. When the distribution has more than two modes, it is
said to be multimodal. It is also possible that a mode may not exist at all.

The Mode of Ungrouped Data

Find the mode of the following values:

Example 1: 4, 5, 8, 8, 8, 9, 12, 15, 19, 20

The mode is 8 because it appears thrice.

Example 2: 3.1, 2.5, 3.7, 2.1, 3.0, 3.1, 2.6, 3.5, 4.0, 2.1
The modes are 3.1 and 2.1 because the two numbers appear twice.

We call this bimodal.

It’s so easy, right? Here’s another example to understand this more clearly.
Example 3: 21, 18, 16, 22, 19, 17

There is no mode since all the given data appeared equally.

Example 4: 9, 7, 8, 9, 7, 4, 6, 5, 5, 7

The mode is 7.

Example 5: 83, 82, 80, 83, 85, 80, 88

The mode is 80 and 83.

Example 6: 37, 40, 44, 38, 41, 45

There is no mode.

A set of data is :
1. Unimodal = if it contains only 1 mode.

2. Bimodal = if it contains 2 modes.

3. Multimodal = if it contains 3 or more modes.

 Mode of Grouped Data

The formula is:

Mo = xlb + d1 i
d 1 + d2

d 1 + d2
where,

Xlb = lower boundary of the modal class

d1 = difference between the frequency in the preceding class
interval and the modal class
d2 = difference between the frequency in the modal class and
the succeeding class interval
i = class size or interval

Example: Find the mode of the data below.

Class interval f

20 - 24 2

25 - 29 6

30 - 34 9

35 - 39 10

40 - 44 12

45 - 49 7

50 - 54 4
Solution:

1. Find Xlb using the modal class. Modal class is the highest frequency . In the data the
highest frequency is 12. The class interval opposite 12 is 40 - 44. So, the Xlb is
39.5.
Class interval f

20 - 24 2

25 - 29 6

30 - 34 9

35 - 39 10

40 - 44 12 highest frequency

45 - 49 7

50 - 54 4

2. The modal class of the data is 12 because it is the highest frequency. To solve for
d1, get the difference of 12 and 10, that is 2 so, d 1 = 2. To get d2 , subtract 7 from
12, the result is 5 so, d2 = 5

Class interval f

20 - 24 2

25 - 29 6

30 - 34 9

35 - 39 10 d1 = 12 – 10 = 2

40 - 44 12

45 - 49 7 d2 = 12 – 7 = 5

50 - 54 4
3. Substitute the values you got to the formula.
Xlb = 39.5 ; d1 = 2 ; d2 = 5 ; i=5

d1

Mo = Xlb + d1 + d 2 i

2
= 39.5 + 5
2+5

2 + 5
= 39.5 + 10

= 39.5 + 1.42

Mo = 40.93 Ans.