MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY

ARITHMETIC MEAN,
Arithmetic mean is the most commonly used measure of central tendency. The arithmetic
mean of a set of numbers is often referred to as simply the “mean”. To find the mean for a set
of data, find the sum of the data values and divide by the number of data values.
∑
Formula, Ⴟ =

Ex;

Find the mean of the 5 scores listed. 45, 73, 56, 58 & 67.
∑
Ⴟ= = = = 59.8

MEDIAN
Another type of average is the median. Essentially, the median is the middle number or the
mean o the two middle number in a list of numbers that have been arranged in numerical order
form smallest to highest or from highest to smallest. Any list of numbers that are arranged
numerically is called “ ranked list”.

Note; the median of a ranked list of n numbers is:

a) The middle number if n is odd.

b) The mean of the two middle number if n is even.

Ex; find the median of the numbers, 4, 8, 1, 14, 9, 21 & 12.

Solution; arrange the numbers numerically in descending order,

1, 4, 8, 9, 12, 14, 21. In this case n is odd number therefore the middle number 9 is the
median. Or MD = 9

Ex; find the median of the scores, 46, 23, 92, 89, 77 & 108.

Solution; numerically arrange the numbers in descending order,

23, 46, 77, 89, 92, 108 in this case n is even number, there are two middle number which
is 77 and 89. Then get the average of the two numbers, = 83 so the median MD = 8
MODE

The mode of a list of numbers is the number that occurs most frequently.

Note;

a) some list of numbers do not have mode.

b) Some list of numbers have more than one mode.

Ex; find the mode of the following list of numbers

a) 18, 15, 21, 16, 15, 14, 15, 21. Arrange the numbers in descending order,

14, 15, 15, 15, 16, 18, 21, 21

Therefore mode MO = 15

b) 2, 5, 8, 9, 11, 4, 7, 23.
2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 23 no repeated numbers so no mode.

c) 0, 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 2, 2, 7, 8. Arranging the number in descending order

0, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8. So the mode MO = 2 & 3 or this is also called bimodal.

WEIGHTED MEAN
a value called weighted mean is often used when some data values are more important than
the others (assigned weights)

note; weighted mean is very much applicable and oftenly used in having a research.

ex; how often mario kissed maria?

Out of 30 students investigated weights

15 says always 4 ----- always

8 says almost always 3 ----- almost always

5 says seldom 2 ----- seldom

2 says never 1 ----- never

Formula for weighted mean

.
WႿ = ∑ where x represents the score, and w represents the weights.

(Ⴟ reads as barred x)

. ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
WႿ = ∑ = = = = 3.2 =3

Since WႿ = 3 so we can conclude that

Therefore; mario kissed maria almost always.