Measures of Central Tendency

Presenting a set of data in a frequency distribution table usually serves as a preliminary step in
summarizing the data in one or two values. Such data can be summarized by considering one of the most
important concepts in statistical investigation – the concepts of central tendency or average.

We shall consider the three most commonly used averages – the Mean, the median, and the mode.
The extensions of the concept on median such as the quartile, decile, and the percentile shall also be
considered.

MEAN

One of the simplest and the most efficient measures of central tendency is the mean. It is the
value obtained by adding the values in the distribution and dividing the sum of the total number values.
Notice that all the values in the distribution are taken into consideration when computing the value of the
mean

MEAN FOR UNGROUPED DATA

To compute the mean for ungrouped data, we shall let ̅ be the value of the mean, (read as “x
bar”). Then by definition, we have.

̅
In symbols, we have

∑
̅

Example 1. Consider the following values

21, 10, 36, 42, 39, 52, 30, 25, 26

Compute the mean

∑
̅

21  10  36  42  39  52  30  25  26
̅
9

281
̅  31.22
9

Seatwork:

Example: The ages of 15 students is a certain class were taken and shown below.

15, 18, 17, 16, 19, 21, 18, 23, 24, 18, 16, 17, 20, 21, 19

Determine the mean age of the students: 18.80

Example: The daily sales of ABC Enterprises for the first 7 days of a certain month are shown below.

P5,286, P10, 826, P2,580, P6,386, P4,650, P3,,635, P8,625

Determine the daily mean sales of the store for the first seven days. P5,998.29

Final: Module 1 – Mathematics in the Modern World 1

WEIGHTED MEAN

Example: Suppose we are interested in computing the weighted mean grade of the student as shown
below.

Subject No of units (w) Grade (x)

1 3 2.0

2 3 3.0

3 5 1.25

4 1 3.0

5 2 2.25

6 3 2.5

∑ = 17

To compute the value of the weighted mean, we have

∑
̅ ∑

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
̅

The weighted mean can also be computed by constructing another column re-presenting the
products of the item values and their corresponding weights. The sum of these products shall be the
numerator.

Example: Suppose we want to compute the weighted mean grade in our example using vertical addition.
If we let x be the grades of the student and w be the number of units per subject, then we have

Subject W X wx
1 3 2.0 6.0
2 3 3.0 9.0
3 5 1.25 6.25
4 1 3.0 3.0
5 2 2.25 4.5
6 3 2.5 7.5
∑ ∑

∑
̅
∑

Final: Module 1 – Mathematics in the Modern World 2

Seat work:

A die was rolled 100 times and the results are shown below

Outcome (x) frequency (w) Wx

1 17
2 14
3 20
4 15
5 15
6 19

Compute the value of mean

MEDIAN

In the process of computing the mean, we observed that ll the values are taken into consideration.
Thus, if a distribution contains extreme values, then the value of the mean usually pulled either to the
right or to the left depending on the position of these extreme values.

We shall now consider a measure of central tendency that does not take into consideration all the
values in the distribution. This measure, called the median is a positional measure defined as the
middlemost value in the distribution. Hence, this value divides a given set of data into two equal parts.

MEDIAN FOR UNGROUPED DATA

In the determination of the median of ungrouped data, always a must that the values be arranged
in terms of magnitude either from lowest to highest or vice versa. Suppose a distribution contains 9
values. Then, the middlemost value in that set of data shall be the fifth value since there will be four
values below it and 4 values above. If there are 10 values in the distribution, then the median shall be the
average of the 5th value and the 6th values.

Let x be the median read as x curl

( )
̃ if n is odd

( ) ( )
̃ if n is even

Example 1. Find the median of the following values.

21, 10, 36, 42, 39, 52, 30, 25, 26

Solution: Before identifying the value of the median, it is necessary that the value be arranged in terms of
magnitude. Thus, we have

10, 21, 25, 26, 30, 36, 39, 42, 52

Final: Module 1 – Mathematics in the Modern World 3

 Since n = 9 and is odd, then

X =
X
n  1
2

=
X
9  1
2
X
= 5

X = 30

Example 2. the following values are the number of students of the first 8 classes in a certain college
taken for inspection;

21, 25, 26, 30, 36, 39, 42, 55

Determine the median

Solution: The values are already arranged in terms of magnitude. Since n = 8 and is even we use

( ) ( )
̃ if n is even

( ) ( )
̃

( ) ( )
̃

Seatwork:

In January, 1994, the daily sales in pesos of TRIPLE A AND V ENTERPRISES for the
first 10 days are as follows.

P 3,286.20, P 2,831.50, P 6,280.00, P 6,526.50, P 5,867.30, P 5,261.00, P 4,265.50,

P7,820.00, P4,625.00, P8,265.00.

Determine the daily median sales of the store.

Final: Module 1 – Mathematics in the Modern World 4

MODE

We will now consider the third measures of central tendency known as the mode. This
type of average is the simplest both in concept and in application. By definition, the mode is
referred to as the most frequent value in the distribution. We shall use the symbols x read as “x
hat” to represent the mode.

MODE FOR UNGROUPED DATA

In the case of ungrouped data, the value of the mode can be obtained through
inspection, thus, no computation is needed. In some instances, the mode might exist or it might
not exist. If exist, it can be more than one value. Let us consider the following examples

Example 4. consider the following sets of measurements

A: 21, 23, 16, 15, 26, 27, 19, 24

B: 31, 21, 16, 15, 21, 27, 19, 18
C: 17, 25, 34, 25, 27, 19, 19, 24

In set A, notice that there is no value that occurred more than once. Hence, WE Can say
that the mode in this set of data does not exist. In set B, the value 21 appeared twice. Since this
value has the most number of occurrence, then we may say that x = 21. In set C, there are two
most frequent values in the distribution. Hence, we can say that the distribution contains two
values representing the mode. These are x = 25, 19.

Final: Module 1 – Mathematics in the Modern World 5