TOPIC 1: NUMERICAL DESCRIPTIVE MEASURE

Measures of Central Tendency

A measure of central tendency is a summary measure that attempts to describe a whole set of data
with a single value that represents the center of its distribution.

1. Mean, ̅
The mean is the average or the most common value in a collection of numbers. In statistics, it
is a measure of central tendency of a probability distribution along median and mode. It is
also referred to as an expected value. Mean can be significantly impacted by extreme value.

The higher the mean score the higher the expectation and vice versa. This depends on what
is studied. E.g. If mean score for male students in a Mathematics test is less than the females,
it can be interpreted that female students perform better than the male students in the test


2. Median, 
The median is the point on the scale that divides the distribution of scores in half (half of the
scores fall above the median and half fall below). Median is the middle value of an ascending
or descending ordered dataset.


3. Mode, 
The mode is simply the score that occurs most frequently. Data may have no mode or more
than one mode.

Measures of Variability
We need the measures of variability to measure the degree of variation in the data set.

1. Range
Useful to evaluate the whole of a data set and for comparing the spread between similar
datasets.


 =   −  

2. Standard deviation
A number used to tell how measurements for a group are spread out from the average. A low
standard deviation means that most of the numbers are very close to the average.

1 ∑ 
=    − 
Standard deviation
−1

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 3. Coefficient of Variation
Comparison between two different data sets which are measured in different units. Small CV
indicates that the data set is more consistent and reliable.


 = × 100%
̅

Measures of Skewness
Skewness is a measure of the asymmetry of the distribution of the measurements of a variable
relative to its mean. As the data becomes skewed from a normal distribution, the mean loses its
ability to provide the best measure of central tendency. As the data becomes skewed from a normal
distribution, the mean loses its ability to provide the best measure of central tendency. To measure
a skewness, we can use Pearson coefficient of skewness:

3% − %&'  3̅ − ,

"# = =
#( &)& &*'('+ 

Every dataset can have some gradient of three skew states: Negatively Skew, No Skew and Positively
Skew.

 If the skewness is between -0.5 & 0.5, the data are nearly symmetrical.
 If the skewness is between -1 & -0.5 (negative skewed) or between 0.5 & 1(positive skewed),
the data are slightly skewed.
 If the skewness is lower than -1 (negative skewed) or greater than 1 (positive skewed), the
data are extremely skewed.

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Example 1

Consider a dataset given: 9, 6, 11, 10, 13, 7.

a) Find the mean, median, mode, first quartile and third quartile.
b) Find the range, standard deviation and coefficient of variation.
c) Determine the skewness of the dataset.

Solution

∑  9 + 6 + 11 + 10 + 13 + 7 56
̅ = = = = 9.33
6 6
Mean

Dataset in ascending ordered: 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13

9 + 10
, = = 9.5
2
Median

Mode Above data has no mode because there is no repeated number(s) in the
dataset

+ 1 9: 6+1
First quartile

45 = 6 8 45 = 6 8 = 1.759: = 6 + 0.757 − 6 = 6.75

4 4

6+1
4; = 3 6 8 = 5.259: = 11 + 0.2513 − 11 = 11.5
+ 1 9: 4
Third quartile

4; = 3 6 8
4

Range   −   = 13 − 6 = 7

∑  = 9 + 6 + 11 + 10 + 13 + 7 = 56
∑   = 9 + 6 + 11 + 10 + 13 + 7 = 556
Standard
deviation

1 ∑  1 56
=    − = 556 −  = √6.67 = 2.58
−1 6−1 6

 2.58
 = × 100 = × 100 = 27.65%
̅ 9.33
Coefficient of
variation

3̅ − , 39.33 − 9.5

"# = = = −0.198
 2.58
Pearson
coefficient of
skewness PCS value is approaching 0, indicate that there is no skew distribution.

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Example 2

Consider the dataset given: 2, 12, 8, 3, 12, 14, 19.

a) Find mean, median and mode.
b) Find the range, standard deviation and coefficient of variation.
c) Determine the skewness of the distribution.

Solution
Attend Lecture

Mean

Dataset in ascending ordered:

Median

Mode

+ 1 9:
First quartile

45 = 6 8
4

+ 1 9:
Third quartile

4; = 3 6 8
4

Range

Standard
deviation

Coefficient of
variation

Pearson
coefficient of
skewness

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Example 3

Consider the dataset given: 7, 3, 4, 9, 6, 22, 7, 5, 14, 6.

a) Find mean, median, mode, first quartile and third quartile.
b) Find the range, standard deviation and coefficient of variation.
c) Determine the skewness of the distribution.

Solution
Attend Lecture

Mean

Dataset in ascending ordered:

Median

Mode

+ 1 9:
First quartile

45 = 6 8
4

+ 1 9:
Third quartile

4; = 3 6 8
4

Range

Standard
deviation

Coefficient of
variation

Pearson
coefficient of
skewness

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Grouped Data (Frequency Table)

∑ D
C=
>?@A, 
∑D

∑D + J
− LH
 = GH + I K
>?EF@A,  M×N
D
OP = Q+R) S+T &)U +V W&' XQ
YP = XTWTQ('* V)ZT XU SV+) W&'
V = V)ZT XU +V W&'
X = XQR'&(ℎ +V W&' XQ

∆J
>\E?, 
 = GH + ] _×N
∆J + ∆K
OP = Q+R) S+T &)U +V W+& XQ
∆5 = V)ZT XU +V W+& − V)ZT XU SV+) W+&
∆ = V)ZT XU +V W+& − V)ZT XU V() W+&
X = XQR'&(ℎ +V W+& XQ

∑D + J
− LH
G\`?a bc@adFe?, fJ = GH + I g M×N
D
OP = Q+R) S+T &)U +V Q+R) ZT)('Q XQ
YP = XTWTQ('* V)ZT XU SV+) Q+R) ZT)('Q
V = V)ZT XU +V Q+R) ZT)('Q
X = XQR'&(ℎ +V Q+R) ZT)('Q XQ

∑D + J
j 6 g 8 − LH
hii?a bc@adFe?, fj = GH + k l×N
D

OP = Q+R) S+T &)U +V Tmm) ZT)('Q XQ

YP = XTWTQ('* V)ZT XU SV+)Tmm) ZT)('Q
V = V)ZT XU +V Tmm) ZT)('Q
X = XQR'&(ℎ +VTmm) ZT)('QXQ

J ∑ DK
nd@AE@aE E?oF@dF\A, p =   DK − 
∑D − J ∑D

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Example 1

For the carried marks distribution below,

Carried marks 2–9 10 – 17 18 – 25 26 – 33 34 – 41 42 – 49

No. of students 7 6 3 4 9 1

Calculate the mean, median, mode, lower quartile, upper quartile and standard deviation.

Solution

Carried No. of Class Class V V  CF

V 
marks students midpoint boundaries

2–9 7 5.5 1.5 – 9.5 75.5 = 38.5 75.5 = 211.75 7

10 – 17 6 13.5 9.5 – 17.5 81 1093.5 13
18 – 25 3 21.5 17.5 – 25.5 64.5 1386.75 16
26 – 33 4 29.5 25.5 – 33.5 118 3481 20
34 – 41 9 37.5 33.5 – 41.5 337.5 12656.3 29
42 – 49 1 45.5 41.5 – 49.5 45.5 2070.25 30
Total 30 685 20900

∑ V 685
Mean

̅ = = = 22.83
∑V 30

Median position = = = 15.59:

∑ qr5
Median
;sr5
 
1.
2. Class boundaries of median = 17.5 – 25.5

∑ tuv
xyz
, = OP +   × X = 17.5 + { }× 25.5 − 17.5 = 24.17
w 5|.|x5;
q ;
3.

Mode

~ = OP + {∆ }× X = 33.5 + {|r} × 41.5 − 33.5 = 36.58

∆v |
1. Class boundaries of mode = 33.5 – 41.5

v r∆w
2.

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 Lower quartile position = = = 7.759:
∑ qr5 ;sr5
Lower quartile

€ €
1.
2. Class boundaries of median = 9.5 – 17.5

∑ tuv
xyz
45 = OP +   × X = 9.5 + { }× 17.5 − 9.5 = 10.5
 ‚.‚|x‚
q ƒ
3.

1. Upper quartile position = 3 „ … = 3„ … = 23.259:

∑ qr5
Upper quartile
;sr5
€ €
2. Class boundaries of median = 33.5 – 41.5

∑ tuv
;„ …xyz
3. 4; = OP +   × X = 33.5 + { }× 41.5 − 33.5 = 36.39
 ;.|xs
q †

nd@AE@aE E?oF@dF\A

 V = 685

 V  = 20900

1 ∑ V 1 685
=  V  − = 20900 −  = 13.47
∑V − 1 ∑V 30 − 1 30

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Example 2

The following table shows wages earns by workers per week,

Weekly wages (RM) 20 – 39 40 – 59 60 – 79 80 – 99 100 - 119

No. of workers 14 21 30 10 12

Calculate the mean, median, mode, lower quartile, upper quartile and standard deviation of weekly
wages. [Answer: 66.05, 65.5, 65.71, 47.12, 81.5, 24.82]

Solution
Attend lecture

Wages V Class  V V  CF
boundaries
20 – 39 14
40 – 59 21
60 – 79 30
80 – 99 10
100 – 119 12
Total 87 5746.5 432531.75

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Example 3

Table below represent distribution of body mass for 100 patients in a private hospital.

Body Mass No. of Patients

31 – 40 7
41 – 50 13
51 – 60 25
61 – 70 28
71 – 80 17
81 – 90 6
91 – 100 4
Total 100

a) Find the mean, median, mode, first quartile and third quartile.
b) Find the standard deviation and coefficient of variation.
c) Determine the skewness of the distribution.

Solution
Attend lecture

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