MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

Lesson
5.2 Measures of Central Tendency

Specific Objectives

1. To know the different measures of central tendency.

2. To comprehend the limitations of the three measures.
3. To realize the effect of the measures in the distribution.
4. To critically know how to select appropriate measure
to describe a certain distribution.

Discussion

As we venture into the realm of descriptive statistics, let us now focus in

describing the nature of a quantitative data. By using an appropriate descriptive
technique, we can organize and neatly summarize small amounts and large
amounts of data distribution. The procedure, utilizing measures of central
tendency, allows us to precisely describe the centrality of data distribution.

Measures of central tendency are methods that can used to determine

information regarding average, ranking, and category of any data distribution.
Mean, median and mode are the three tools in obtaining the measures of central
tendency. But only by knowing and using the appropriate tool that most accurate
estimation of centrality can be achieved. The objective of the measures of central
tendency is to describe the centrality of the distribution into a single numerical
unit. This single numerical unit must provide clear description about the common
trait being observed in the distribution of scores.
 The Mean

The most widely used measure of the central tendency is the mean ( ). It is
the arithmetic average of all the scores. The mean can be determined by adding
all the scores together and then by dividing by the total number of scores. The
basic formula for the mean is as follows:

The operational term “summation” The raw scores

indicating to add all measures of

∑x
=
N The entire number of
observations being dealt with
Mean

In the example below concerning the annual income of 12 workers, the mean can
be found by calculating the average score of the distribution.

X
===========================
Php 200,000.00
200,000.00
195,000.00
194,000.00
194,000.00
194,000.00
193,000.00
190,000.00
185,000.00
180,000.00
180,000.00
176,000.00
===========================
∑ x = Php 2, 281,000.00

∑x 2,281,000.00
= N = 12 =Php 190,083.00

In this example, the mean is an appropriate measure of central tendency because

the distribution is fairly well-balanced. This means that there are no extremely
high or extremely low scores in either direction that can unusually influence the
average of the scores. Thus, the mean value of 190,083.00 represents the total
picture of the distribution (i.e. annual incomes). This means that in a “more or
less” or approximate fashion it describes the entire distribution.

Mean of Skewed Distribution. There are situations wherein the mean cannot be
trusted to provide a measure of central tendency because it portrays an
extremely distorted picture of the average value of a distribution of scores. For
instance, let us still consider our example of annual incomes but this time with
some adjustment. Let us introduce another score. The annual income of an
affluent new neighbor who happened to move to this town just recently. This new
neighbor has a frugal high annual income so extremely far above the others.

X
===========================
New neighbor
Php 2, 500,000.00
200,000.00
200,000.00
195,000.00
194,000.00
194,000.00
194,000.00
193,000.00
190,000.00
185,000.00
180,000.00
180,000.00
176,000.00
===========================
∑ x = Php 4, 481,000.00

∑x 4,281,000.00
= = =Php 367,769.00
N 13
As you may have noticed, the mean income of Php 367,769.00 this time provides
a highly misleading picture of great prosperity for this neighborhood. The
distribution was unbalanced by an extreme score of the new affluent neighbor.
This is what we call an skewed distribution.

Here are some graphic illustration of a skewed distribution:

When the tail goes to the right, the curve is positively skewed; when it goes to the
left, it is negatively skewed. The skew is in the direction of the tail-off of scores,
not of the majority of scores. The mean is always pulled toward the extreme score
in a skewed distribution. When the extreme score is at the low end, then the
mean is too low to reflect centrality. When the extreme score is at the high end,
the mean is too high.

The Median

The median is the point that separates the upper half from the lower half of the
distribution. It is the middle point or midpoint of any distribution. If the
distribution is made up of an even number of scores, the median can be found by
determining the point that lies halfway between the two middlemost scores.

193,000.00
190,000.00
(190,000+185,000)
Median=
185,000.00 2
180,000.00
Arranging scores to form a distribution means listing them sequentially either
highest to lowest or lowest to highest. Unlike the mean, the median is not
affected by skewed distribution. Whenever the mean cannot provide centrality
because of extreme scores present, the median can be used to provide a more
accurate representation.

Calculation of the Median

X
===========================
➔➔➔
Php 2, 500,000.00
200,000.00
200,000.00
195,000.00
194,000.00
194,000.00
194,000.00 ----- 194,000.00 Median
193,000.00
190,000.00
185,000.00
180,000.00
180,000.00
176,000.00
===========================

As you observed, even with the presence of extreme score at the high end of the
distribution- the value of the median is still undisturbed.

The Mode

Another measure of central tendency is called the mode. It is the most frequently
occurring score in a distribution. In a histogram, the mode is always located
beneath the tallest bar.
Finding the mode of a distribution of raw scores (Annual Income)

X
===========================
Php 2, 500,000.00
200,000.00
200,000.00
195,000.00
194,000.00
194,000.00 Mode
194,000.00
193,000.00
190,000.00
185,000.00
180,000.00
180,000.00
176,000.00
===========================

The mode provides an extremely fast way of knowing the centrality of the
distribution. You can immediately spot the mode by simply looking at the data
and find the dominant constant. It is the frequently occurring scores.

Appropriate Use of the Mean, Median and Mode

The best way to illustrate the comparative applicability of the mean, median and
mode is to look again at the skewed distribution.
10,000
Mode
Frequency of Occurrence

100,000
Mean

20,000
Median
 Distribution of monthly income per household in a certain municipality.

Most income is always skewed to the right because the low end has a fixed limit of
zero while the high end has no limit. If we consider that the area of the curve is 100
percent, then the median is the exact midpoint of the distribution. The area below
and above the median is both equal to 50 percent. Thus, if the median income is
P20,000.00 this means that 50% of the households have an income below
P20,000.00 and 50% of the households have an income above P20,000.00. On the
other hand, the mean in our figure above indicates a high income of P 100,000.
This makes the curve positively skewed. The value of the mean gives a distorted
picture of reality. The value of the mean is being unduly influenced by few
affluent income earners at the high end of the curve whose monthly income is
almost around P 500,000.00. Looking at the modal income, which is P 10,000 per
month, seemed also to distort the reality towards the low side. The mode is
always the highest point of the curve. In this example, the mode represents the
most frequently-earned income; it is far lower than the median income of P
20,000.00. Both the mean and the mode give a false portrait of distribution
typicality and the truth lies somewhere in between.

Effects of the Scale of Measurement Used

The scale of measurement in which the data are based oftentimes dictates the
measures of central tendency to be used. The interval data can entertain the
calculations of all three measures of central tendency. The modal and ordinal data
cannot be used to calculate for the mean. Ordinal mean can provide an extremely
confusing wrong result. Since median is about ranking, a rank above the score falls
and a rank below a score falls; the ordinal arrangement is necessary in finding the
median. For the nominal data, however, neither the mean nor the median can be
used. Nominal data are restricted by simply using a number as a label for a category
and the only measure of central tendency permissible for nominal data is the mode.

In summary, if the interval data distribution is fairly well balanced, it is

appropriate to use the mean to measure the central tendency. If the distribution
of the interval data is skewed, you may either remove the outlier or adopt the
median. If the interval data distribution manifests a significant clustering of