Compiled by

Mohmad Mohd Derus

Objectives
To calculate measures of central tendency mean, median and mode - for grouped and
ungrouped frequency distributions.

Objectives
Explain why measures of central tendency
differ in grouped and ungrouped frequency
distributions.

Measures of Central
Tendency
Mode the most frequently occurring observation in a
frequency distribution.
Median in a frequency distribution, the point at which
50% of the cases fall above and 50% of the cases fall
below.
Midrange the sum of the lowest and highest values in the
data set divided by 2. Rough estimate of the middle.
Mean the arithmetic average of the observations in a
frequency distribution.

Mode
Advantages
Simplest summary of a variable that indicates the
most frequently occurring category on the nominal
scale of measurement or most frequently occurring
observation on the interval or ratio scale of
measurement.
The mode is not sensitive to extreme values in a
frequency distribution
An interpretation of the mode is that it provides
the best guess as to the category an observation
may take on a variable

Mode
Disadvantages
May not be descriptive of the distribution because
the most common category may not occur very
often
May not be unique; a frequency distribution may
have more than one mode
May be overly affected by sampling variation
Sensitive to how categories are combined

Case 1 - 8, 12, 15, 9, 6, 8, 10, 9, 8, 6, 7, 8

the mode is 8

Case 2 - 4, 12, 15,2, 5, 3, 10, 9, 1, 6, 7, 8

the is no mode [do not say that the mode is 0]

Case 3 - 15, 18, 18, 18, 22, 33, 40, 40, 40, 60, 76
the mode is 18 and 40 [this data set is said to be
bimodal]

Class

Frequency

5.5 -10.5

10.5-15.5

15.5-20.5

20.5-25.5

25.5-30.5

30.5-35.5

35.5-40.5

Modal class

The mode for grouped data is the modal class. The modal class is the class with
the largest frequency.
The modal class for the above is 20.5-25.5, since it has the largest frequency.
Sometimes, the midpoint of the class is used rather than the boundaries, hence
the mode could be also given as 23.

Mode,

x L m o

1
2

Median
When categories of a variable are ordered, a
measure of central tendency should take
that order into account.
The median does so by finding the value of
the variable corresponding to the middle
case.
The median is a positional measure.

Median
Advantages
Relatively easy to obtain
Based on the whole distribution rather than just a
small portion as is the mode
Not affected by extreme values so it is considered
a resistant statistic
Can be computed when distribution is open ended
at the extremes

Case 1 - (odd sample n ) 8, 12, 15, 9, 6, 8, 10, 9, 8, 7, 9

6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10,12, 15
median

Case 2 - (even sample n ) 8, 12, 15, 9, 6, 8, 10, 9, 8, 7, 8,6

6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9, 10,12, 15
Median = 8 + 9 = 17 = 8.5
2
2

Class

Frequency

Cumulative frequency

14

18

21

24

Procedure to locate median:

i. locate the point where 12 values would fall below.

ii. Locate the point where 12 values would fall above.
The 12th and 13th values fall in class 4. Hence the median is 4.

Class
Boundaries

Frequency

Cumulative frequency

5.5-10.5

10.5-15.5

15.5-20.5

20.5-25.5

11

25.5-30.5

15

30.5-35.5

18

35.5-40.5

20

n=20

Procedure to locate median:

i. divide n by 2 to find the halfway point.

ii. find the class that contains the 10th value using the
cumulative freq. distribution (this class is called median
class, it contain the median)
Then, substitute the following formula.

x Lm

fm

fm1
C

Class
Boundaries

Frequency

Cumulative frequency

5.5-10.5

15.5-20.5

20.5-25.5

25.5-30.5

30.5-35.5

18

35.5-40.5

20

10.5-15.5

Lm

C [class width]

n=20

fm

11
15

fm-1
Median class

Class Boundaries

Frequency

25.5-28.5

28.5-31.5

31.5-34.5

32

34.5-37.5

20

37.5-41.5

12

41.5-44.5

The sum of the lowest and highest values in

the data set divided by 2.
A rough estimate of the middle in a data set.
MR = Lowest Value + Highest Value
2
MR =1 + 9 = 10 = 5
1, 5, 4, 6, 1, 9
2
2

Note: If the data set contains one extremely large value or one extremely small value, a
higher or lower midrange value will result an may not be a typical description of the middle.

Mean
Properties of the mean
The mode and the median can be computed on
metric data but do not take full advantage of
numeric information inherent in the data.
Total sum of the deviations around the mean is
zero.
The mean is the balance point of the distribution.
Most effective way of summarizing the center of
interval and ratio level data is to average the
values of the variable

Mean
Advantages
More stable over repeated measures than any other
measure of the center
Other descriptive and inferential statistics are
based on deviations from the mean
Most common statistic
Easily manipulated algebraically
Good statistical properties

Mean
Disdvantages
A disadvantage is that the mean is strongly
influenced by extreme measures.
The mean cannot be computed for an open-ended
frequency distribution.

Mean,

x
n

or

f x
n

The weighted mean is a mean where there is

some variation in the relative contribution of
individual data values to the mean.
Each data value (Xi) has a weight assigned to
it (Wi).
Data values with larger weights contribute
more to the weighted mean and data values
with smaller weights contribute less to the
weighted mean

Where,
Wi = weight
Xi = measures

Each individual data value might actually represent

a value that is used by multiple people in your
sample. The weight, then, is the number of people
associated with that particular value.

Your sample might deliberately over represent or

under represent certain segments of the
population. To restore balance, you would place
less weight on the over represented segments of
the population and greater weight on the under
represented segments of the population.

Some values in your data sample might be

known to be more variable (less precise) than
other values. You would place greater weight
on those data values known to have greater
precision.

Supplier

Quantity
Purchased
(weightage)

Cost (RM)

5 bags

12.40

8 bags

12.70

15 bags

12.80

The costs of 3 models of concrete mixers are

shown. Find the weighted mean cost of the
models.
Model

Number Sold

Cost (RM)

CM45

10

35000

CM65

60000

CM80

80000

The CGPA of 10 QS students who applied for

a direct entry to degree programme is shown
below:
3.15, 3.62, 2.54, 2.81, 3.97,
2.00, 2.76, 2.63, 2.57, 2.33

Find mode, median, midrange, and mean

For 108 randomly selected contractors, the

following IQ frequency distribution was obtained.
Class Limits

Frequency

90-98

99-107

22

108-116

43

117-125

28

126-134

Find mean, median and the modal class.

To find mean for grouped data:

X=f.Xm
n

Class
Limits

Class
Boundaries

Frequency
(f)

n=

Midpoint
(Xm)

f.Xm

f.Xm=

For the following situation, state which

measure of central tendency (mean, median
or mode) should be used.

The most typical case desired.

The distribution is open-ended.
There is an extreme value in the data set.
The data is categorical.
There will be a need to do further statistical computations.
The values are to be divided into two approximately equal
groups, one group containing the larger value and one
group containing the smaller value.

Describe which measure of central tendency

was probably used in each situation.
Half of the construction workers make more than 5.37
hours per week and half make less than 5.37 hours per
week.
The average number of children per family in the UEM office
is 1.8.
Most worker prefer blue jacket over any other colour.
The average number of times a QS visits the dentist is once
a year.
The most common fear today is fear of speaking in public .
The average age of PWD QS in year 2009 is 48.4 years.