Measures of Central Tendency

Presented by:
MOHAMMAD FAROOQ
Head of MATHEMATICS
Karachi Grammar School
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
 Types of Averages

 Properties and Empirical Relation between Mean

 Relative Merits & Demerits of Various Averages

Measures of Central Tendency

 The central tendency is measured by

averages. These describe the point about
which the various observed values cluster.

 In mathematics, an average, or central

tendency of a data set refers to a measure of
the "middle" or "expected" value of the data
set.
 Types of Averages

 Arithmetic Mean
 Geometric Mean
 Weighted Mean
 Harmonic Mean
 Median
 Mode
 Arithmetic Mean

 The arithmetic mean is the sum of a set of

observations, positive, negative or zero,
divided by the number of observations. If we
have “n” real numbers x1 , x 2 , x 3 , ......., x n ,
their arithmetic mean, denoted by , can be
expressed as: x
n
x1  x 2  x3  .............  x n
x
n x
i 1
i
x
n
 Find arithmetic mean of rate of growth: (46.7)
34, 27, 45, 55, 22, 34
Arithmetic Mean of Group Data
 if z1 , z 2 , z 3 ,......... ., z k are the mid-values and
f 1 , f 2 , f 3 ,........, f k are the corresponding
frequencies, where the subscript ‘k’ stands
for the number of classes, then the mean is

z
 fz i i

f i
 Geometric Mean

 Geometric mean is defined as the positive root of the

product of observations. Symbolically,

1/ n
G  ( x1 x 2 x 3  x n )
 It is also often used for a set of numbers whose values are
meant to be multiplied together or are exponential in
nature, such as data on the growth of the human
population or interest rates of a financial investment.

 Find geometric mean of rate of growth: (34.54)

34, 27, 45, 55, 22, 34

Geometric Mean (Revised Eqn.)

Ungroup Data Group Data

G  ( x1 x2 x3  xn ) G  ( x1 f1 x2 f 2 x3 f 3  xn )

1 n  1 n 
G  AntiLog
N  Log xi 

G  AntiLog
N  f i Log xi 

 i 1   i 1 
 Harmonic Mean
 Harmonic mean (formerly sometimes
called the subcontrary mean) is one of
several kinds of average.

 Typically, it is appropriate for situations

when the average of rates is desired. The
harmonic mean is the number of variables
divided by the sum of the reciprocals of
the variables. Useful for ratios such as
speed (=distance/time) etc.
Harmonic Mean Group Data
 The harmonic mean H of the positive real
numbers x1,x2, ..., xn is defined to be
Ungroup Data Group Data

n n
H n
H n
1 fi

i 1
xi i 1
xi

 Find harmonic mean of rate of growth:(33.14)

34, 27, 45, 55, 22, 34
Exercise-1: Find the Arithmetic ,
Geometric and Harmonic Mean
Class Frequency x fx f Log x f/x
(f)

20-29 3
30-39 5

40-49 20

50-59 10

60-69 5

Sum N=43
Solution Ex 1.
Class Frequency x fx f Log x f/x
(f)

20-29 3 24.5 73.5 4.17 3/24.5

30-39 5 34.5 172.5 7.69

40-49 20 44.5 890 32.97

50-59 10 54.5 545 17.37

60-69 5 64.5 322.5 9.05

Sum N=43 2003.5 71.24 0.97

 Weighted Mean

 The Weighted mean of the positive real

numbers x1,x2, ..., xn with their weight
w1,w2, ..., wn is defined to be
n

w x
i 1
i i
x n

w
i 1
i
During a one hour period on a hot Saturday
afternoon cabana boy Chris served fifty
drinks.
He sold:
…five drinks for $0.50
…fifteen for $0.75
…fifteen for $0.90
…fifteen for $1.10

Compute:
- the weighted +15($0.75
5($0.50) mean of) +the .90)+15
price
15($0 of
($1the
.15)
μw = drinks
5 +15-+15+15
$44.50
= = $0 .89
50
 Weighted Arithmetic Mean
Example: Calculate weighted mean from the following data:

Items Expenditure (Rs.) (xi) Weights (wi)

Food 290 7.5
Rent 54 2
Clothing 98 1.5
Fuel and Light 75 1
Others 75 0.5
 Median
 The implication of this definition is that a
median is the middle value of the
observations such that the number of
observations above it is equal to the number
of observations below it.
If “n” is Even
If “n” is odd
Me  X 1 1 
M e   X n  X n 
2
( n 1)
2 2 2
1

 Median of Group Data

h n 
M e  Lo    F
fo 2 
 L0 = Lower class boundary of the median
class
 h = Width of the median class
 f = Frequency of the median class
0
 F = Cumulative frequency of the pre-

median class
Steps to find Median of group data

1. Compute the less than type cumulative frequencies.

2. Determine N/2 , one-half of the total number of cases.
3. Locate the median class for which the cumulative
frequency is more than N/2 .
4. Determine the lower limit of the median class. This is L 0.
5. Sum the frequencies of all classes prior to the median
class. This is F.
6. Determine the frequency of the median class. This is f 0.
7. Determine the class width of the median class. This is h.
Example-3:Find Median
Age in years Number of births Cumulative number of
births
14.5-19.5 677 677
19.5-24.5 1908 2585
24.5-29.5 1737 4332
29.5-34.5 1040 5362
34.5-39.5 294 5656
39.5-44.5 91 5747
44.5-49.5 16 5763
All ages 5763 -
 Mode
 Mode is the value of a distribution for which
the frequency is maximum. In other words,
mode is the value of a variable, which
occurs with the highest frequency.

 So the mode of the list (1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4) is

3. The mode is not necessarily well defined.
The list (1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 5) has the two modes
2 and 3.
Example-2: Find Mean, Median and
Mode of Ungroup Data

The weekly pocket money for 9 first year pupils

was found to be:

3 , 12 , 4 , 6 , 1 , 4 , 2 , 5 , 8

Mean Median Mode

5 4 4
Mode of Group Data

1
M 0  L1  h
1   2
 L1 = Lower boundary of modal class
 Δ1 = difference of frequency between
modal class and class before it
 Δ = difference of frequency between
2

modal class and class after

 H = class interval
Steps of Finding Mode

 Find the modal class which has highest

frequency
 L = Lower class boundary of modal class
0

 h = Interval of modal class

 Δ = difference of frequency of modal
1

class and class before modal class

 Δ = difference of frequency of modal class and
2

class after modal class

Example -4: Find Mode
Slope Angle Midpoint (x) Frequency (f) Midpoint x
(°) frequency (fx)
0-4 2 6 12

5-9 7 12 84

10-14 12 7 84

15-19 17 5 85

20-24 22 0 0

Total n = 30 ∑(fx) = 265

 Merits & Demerits of Various Averages
Mean Median
(Average) Middle Value In Mode
Advantages Ordered Sequence Value That Occurs
i) Every item taken Advantages Most Often
into account i) Unaffected by Advantages
ii) Can be calculated outliers i) Unaffected by
on any set of ii) Can be computed outliers
numerical data for open-ended ii) May Be Used for
(interval and ratio classes of a Numerical &
scale) -Always exists frequency Categorical Data
Disadvantages distribution Disadvantages
i)Affected by Disadvantages i) Least accurate
outliers i) Requires an ii) No arithmetic
ii) Cannot use in ordered array properties
open-ended classes ii) No arithmetic
of a frequency properties
distribution