2.

6 Mode

For a given set of observations, mode may be defined as the value that occurs the
maximum number of times. Thus, mode is that value which has the maximum
concentration of the observations around it. This can also be described as the most
common value in the observations.
Calculation of mode
(i) Individual series (or for ungrouped data): In this type of series mode is the value
of the term which occurs smost frequently.

For example: the mode of series 2 , 7, 10, 15, 10, 17, 8, 10, 2,5,3,17 is 10. In some
cases the mode may be absent while in some cases there may be more than one mode.

(ii) Continuous series (or grouped data): For continuous series, mode is calculated
as,

Mode  l   f1  f 0 
i
 1  f0  f 2 
2 f

Where, l = The lower limit of the model class

f1 = The frequency of the model class

f0 = The frequency of the class preceding the model class

f2 = The frequency of the class succeeding the model class
i = The size of the model class.

Example-1 Find the mode for the following distribution:

Wages (in rs.) 100- 200- 300- 400- 500- 600- 700- 800-
200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900
No. of 3 11 24 58 40 25 16 7
Labourers

Solution: Here maximum frequency is 58. So modal class is 400-500.

We know that
Mode  l   f1  f 0 
i
 1  f0  f2 
2 f

Here l  400 , f1  58, f 0  24, f 2  40 , i  100

 58  24 
mode  400    100
 2  58  24  40 

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  58  24 
mode  400     100
 2  58  24  40
 34 
mode  400    100
116  24  40 
 34 
mode  400     100
 52 
mode  400  65.38
mode  465.38

2.6.1. Mode by Method of Grouping

This method is usually applied when there are two maximum frequencies against two
different items .We prepare a grouping table with 6 columns
1. In column I, we write down the given frequencies.
2. Column II is obtained by combining the frequencies two by two.
3. Leave the 1st frequency and combine the remaining frequencies two by two and
write in column III
4. Column IV is obtained by combining the frequencies three by three.
5. Leave the 1st frequency and combine the remaining frequencies three by three and
write in column V
6. Leave the 1st and 2nd frequencies and combine the remaining frequencies three by
three and write in columnVI

Mark the highest frequency in each column. Then form an analysis table to find the
modal class. After finding the modal class use the formula for mode to calculate the modal
value.
Example-1 Find the mode for the following distribution:
Size of item 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Frequency 2 5 8 9 12 14 14 15 11 13

Solution: Here maximum frequency occurs at the end of distribution so we apply

method of grouping to find value of mode.
Size of items Frequency
Variable (x) I II III IV V VI
4 2
7
5 5 15
13

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 6 8 22
17
7 9 29
21
8 12 35
26
9 14 40
28
10 14 43
29
11 15 40
26
12 11 29
24
13 13
Note: highlighted number in above table show highest frequency in each
column.
Now we prepare analysis table to find the size of the item containing
maximum frequency :

Column No. Maximum Frequency Size of item having maximum frequency

I 15 11
II 29 10,11
III 28 9,10
IV 40 10,11,12
V 40 8,9,10
VI 43 9,10,11

Here size 8 occurs 1 times, 9 occurs 3 times, 10 occurs 5 times, 11 occurs 4

times, 12 occurs 1 times.
Since 10 occurs maximum number of times (5 times). Hence requires
mode is 10.

Example-2 Find the mode for the following distribution:

Marks 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-90
No. of Students 2 17 7 18 6 18 4 8

Solution: Here maximum frequency occurs two times in above distribution so

we apply method of grouping to find value of mode.

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 Marks Frequency
Class I II III IV V VI
10-20 2
19
20-30 17 26
24
30-40 7 42
25
40-50 18 31
24
50-60 6 42
24
60-70 18 28
22
70-80 4 30
12
80-90 8

Note: highlighted number in above table show highest frequency in each

column.
Now we prepare analysis table to find the size of the item containing
maximum frequency :

Column Maximum Class or group of class having maximum

No. Frequency frequency
I 18 40-50, 60-70
II 25 30-40,40-50
III 24 20-30,30-40, 40-50,50-60
IV 42 40-50,50-60,60-70
V 42 20-30,30-40,40-50
VI 31 30-40,40-50,50-60

Here class 20-30 occurs 2 times, 30-40 occurs 4 times, 40-50 occurs 6 times, 50-60
occurs 3 times, 60-70 occurs 2 times.
Since class 40-50 occurs maximum number of times (6 times). Hence
modal class is 40-50.
We know that
Mode  l   f1  f 0 
i
 2 f1  f 0  f 2 
Here l  40 , f1  18, f0  7, f 2  6 , i  10

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  18  7 
mode  40     10
 2  18  7  6
 11 
mode  40    10
 36  7  6 
 11 
mode  40     10
 23 
mode  40  4.78
mode  44.78

2.6.2. Merits and Demerits of Mode

Merits of Mode:
1. It is easy to calculate and in some cases it can be located mere inspection.
2. It is not affected by extreme values provided that value itself is not mode.
3. It can be calculated for open-end classes.
4. It can be found graphically.
5. It can be used for qualitative attributes as well as quantitative data.
6. In some circumstances it is the best representative of data.
Demerits of Mode:
1. It is not based on all observations.
2. It is not capable of further mathematical treatment.
3. Mode is ill-defined generally; it is not possible to find mode in some cases.
4. Compared with mean, mode is affected more by sampling fluctuations.

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