Measures of Central Tendency and

Dispersion
Mr. Balakrishna,
Assistant Professor of Biostatsitics
 Specific learning objectives
1. To describe the measures of central tendency like mean,
median and mode

2. To describe the measures of dispersion like range, mean

deviation and standard deviation
Measures of Central Tendency
Tendency to cluster around some central value

Common Measures
Mean

Median

Mode
 Mean
Is the arithmetical average; ie;
Sum of all the observations
The number of observations
Sample mean = x
Population mean = µ

Mean x = ∑ x
n Mean
The SBP of 11 subjects are
123, 128, 130, 123, 127, 128,
119, 128, 124, 125 & 131 mm of Hg.

Mean X = ∑ x
n
= 1386 / 11

= 126
 Median
Middle Value
Arranging the SBP values of the previous
example in ascending order

119, 123, 123, 124, 125, 127, 128, 128, 128,

130, & 131
Median = 127
If there are ‘n’ values & if n is odd, median is
(n +1)/2th & if n is even, median is the average
of n/2th & [(n/2)+1]th when arranged in order
 Mode
Mode is the model value
The value which has the maximum frequency

The SBP of 11 subjects are 123, 128, 130, 123,

127, 128, 119, 128, 124,125 & 131 mm of Hg.

The mode = 128

For a symmetric distribution

Mean, Median & mode coincides
 Dispersion
Two groups may have the same central value but
differ in distribution.
Eg. Serum cholesterol level of 2 groups of 5
individuals each are

Group 1 Group 2 Mean of Group 1,

210 195 X 1 = 1100 / 5 = 220
215 205
230 215
Mean of Group 2,
220 210
X 2 = 1100 / 5 = 220
225 275
1100 (T) 1100 (T)
Dispersion - Study of Scatteredness

Common Measures are

Range
Quartile Deviation

Mean Deviation

Standard Deviation
 The weight in kilograms of 10 MBBS students are
68, 64, 63, 65, 71, 60, 72, 63, 74 & 70
Range = Largest – Smallest
= 74 – 60 = 14 or [60, 74]
Quartile Deviation = Q3 – Q1 [Semi Inter Quartile Range]
2
60, 63, 63, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 72, 74

Q1 Q2 Q3

Q.D. = (71.5 – 63) / 2 = 4.25

Mean Deviation = ∑ I x – x I
n
60, 63, 63, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 72, 74

Here x = 67
I x – x I : 7, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 7

M. D. = 40 / 10 = 4
Standard Deviation
Sample S. D. → ‘s’, Population S. D. → ‘σ’

S.D. ‘s’ = Ʃ(x – x)2 For large ‘n’

n
= Ʃ(x – x)2 For small ‘n’
n-1
= Ʃx2 – (Ʃx)2/n
n–1

Variance = S.D.2 = = Ʃ(x – x)2 / n - 1

 x x - x (x-x)2 x2 S. D. ‘s’ = Ʃ(x – x)2
68 1 1 4624 n–1
64 -3 9 4096
63 -4 16 3969 = 194 / 9 = 4.643
65 -2 4 4225
71 4 16 5041 S. D. = Ʃx2 – (Ʃx)2/n
60 -7 49 3600 n–1
70 3 9 4900
72 5 25 5184 = 45084 – (448900 / 10)
63 -4 16 3969 9
74 7 49 5476 = 194 / 9 = 4.643
670 (t) 194 (t) 45084 (t)
 S. D. Uses:
To find the standard error
To find the confidence limits
To test the hypothesis
To compare the variability of two groups
(even expressed in different units)
To compare the variability, a relative measure called
Coefficient of Variation is used
C. V. = S.D. x 100
Mean

The mean SBP of a group of adult males was

122 mm of Hg with S.D. 12 mm & their mean FBS
was found to be 110 mg% with S.D. 11.

C.V. of SBP = 12 x 100 / 122 = 9.836

C.V. of FBS = 11 x 100 / 110 = 10

FBS shows more variability compared to SBP

 Normal Distribution
Height in cms No: of Students
142.5 – 145 3 Mean Height = 160 cms
145 – 147.5 8
147.5 – 150 15
S.D. = 5 cms
150 – 152.5 45
152.5 – 155 90
155 – 157.5 155 Mean +/- 1 S.D. = 155 – 165
157.5 – 160 194
160 – 162.5 195
Mean +/- 2 S.D. = 150 – 170
162.5 – 165 136
Mean +/- 3 S.D. = 145 – 175
165 – 167.5 93
167.5 – 170 42
170 – 172.5 16
172.5 – 175 6
175 – 177.5 2
Total 1000
 No: of Students

0
50
100
150
200
250

14
2.
5
14
5
14
7.
5
15
0
15
2.
5
15
5
15
7.
5

995
Height
680
16
0
16
2.
5
950in cms

16
5
16
7.
5
17
0
17
2.
5
17
5
 µ = Mean
Normal σ = S. D.
Curve
The curve is bell shaped
Symmetric about mean
The 3 averages – Mean, Median & Mode coincides
Increase in mean shifts the curve to the right
Decreasing mean shifts the curve to the left
Increase in S.D. makes the curve flat
Decrease in S.D. makes the curve peaked
f (x) = 1 exp. –(x-µ)2/2σ2 –∞<x<∞
2Π σ
µ & σ are the parameters. They are the ‘Mean’ & S.D.
respectively
A normal distribution with Mean = 0 & S.D. = 1 is called
‘Standard Normal Distribution’

Any Normal Variable

can be Transformed to
Standard Normal by the
Transformation

Z = Variable – Mean
S.D.

=x-µ
σ
 Summary
Measures of central tendency
1. Mean
2. Median
3. Mode
Measures of dispersion
1. Range
2. Mean deviation
3. Standard deviation
 References
Mahajan BK. Methods in biostatistics, 7th ed. New Delhi:
Jaypee Brothers Medical Publisher Ltd, 2010.
K Park. Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine,
25th ed. Jabalpur: Bhanot Publishers; 2018.
Bhalwar R, Vaidya R. Text book of public health and community
medicine. Pune: Department of Community Medicine, Armed
Forces Medical College; 2016.