CHAPTER 9

MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY- MODE

SEGMENT 1

Mode is another important measure of central tendency, which is conceptually very

useful. Mode is the value occurring most frequently in a set of observations and
around which other items of the set cluster most densely.

Actually the word ‘mode’ has been derived from the French word 'La Mode' which
signifies the most fashionable values of a distribution, because it is repeated the
highest number of times in the series. Thus, in a statistics, Mode is that value which
occur the largest number of times in a series..

Example: If the shoe size of 10 people is: 8, 9, 7, 9, 10, 9, 10, 9, 11, 8; mode can be
conveniently found by arranging the observations in an ascending order (7, 8, 8, 9, 9,
9, 9, 10, 10, 11) and counting the number of times each observation occurs. Mode
size of shoes is 9 as it occur the maximum number of times (four times).

Definitions of Mode
In the words of A.M. Tuttle, "Mode is the value which has the greatest frequency
density in
its immediate neighborhood".
In the words of Croxton and Cowden, "Mode of a distribution is the value at the point
around which the items tend to be most heavily concentrated".

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Important Points about Mode
 Mode is extensively used to measure taste and preferences of people for a
particular brand of the commodity.
 In case of frequency distribution, mode is determined by the value
corresponding to Maximum Frequency.
 Situations when Rule of is not followed: There may be a situation where
concentration of observations around a value having maximum frequency is
LESS than the concentration of observations around some other value. In
such a situation, Mode cannot be determined by the use of maximum
frequency criterion. Let us understand this with the help of following example:
Marks 65 70 75 80 85 90 95
Students 4 25 10 22 23 18 4

In the given case, frequency is maximum (25) corresponding to 70 marks. As per the
maximum frequency criterion, modal marks should be 70. However, the highest
concentration of the frequency is around 85 marks. In the neighbourhood of 85
marks, there are more frequencies (22, 23, 18) as compared to the neighbourhood of
70 marks (4, 25, 10). Hence, 85 marks is the Mode and not 70.
So, Mode can be correctly defined as that value of observation which occurs most
frequently and around which other items of the set cluster most densely.

 The value of mode is denoted by the symbol 'Z'.

 Mode is preferable to mean and median when it is desired to know the most
typical value. For example, the most common size of shoes, the most common size
of a ready-made garment, the most common size of pocket expenditure of a student,
the most popular candidate in an election, etc.
 A distribution can either be uni-modal, bi-modal or multi-modal. However, if each
observation occurs the same number of times in a series, then there is no mode in
that distribution.

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 i.) No Modal Value: When each observation occurs the same number of times in
a series. For example, consider the following series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10. There is no modal value as no item occurs more than once.
ii.) Uni-modal: When one item occurs the maximum number of times. For
example, consider the following series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 9, 10. In the given
series, the mode is 6 because it occurs the maximum number of times.
iii.) Bi-modal: When two items have the same maximum frequency. For
example, consider the following series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 9, 9, 10. The given
series has two modes: 6 and 9 because both occur the maximum number of
times.
iv.) Multi-modal: When more than two items have the same maximum frequency.
For example, consider the following series: 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 6, 6, 9, 9, 10. The
given series has more than two modes: 5, 6 and 9. It is multi-modal series.

Mode with Frequency Curve

If the nature of mode is to be explained graphically, it is obvious that the mode would
be the point of maximum frequency which is indicated by the peak of a frequency
curve.
In the given diagram, X-axis denotes the value of variable and Y-axis the
corresponding frequencies. Mode is that value on the X-axis, which corresponds to
the maximum frequency on the Y-axis.

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 CALCULATION OF MODE
The value of mode can be calculated in the following series:
1. Individual Series
2. Discrete Series
3. Continuous Series

Individual Series
There are two methods of finding out mode in an individual series:
1. By Observations or Inspection;
2. By Converting individual series into a Discrete Series, i.e. by frequency
distribution.

Mode by Way of Through Observation or Inspection

Through observation, one can notice the occurrence of items in a distribution.
Step 1. Arrange the data in ascending or descending order.
Step 2. The item which occurs most in the series is 'Mode'.

Q 1. From the heights of 15 students, calculate the value of mode.

Height
(in 52 50 66 70 66 72 71 66 60 67 69 67 48 60 65
inches)

Ans. Mode (Z) is 66

inches

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 Mode by Converting Individual Series into Discrete Series
If number of items in an individual series are more, then the individual series can be
converted into discrete series. Mode is then calculated as the value corresponding to
the highest frequency.

Q 2. Calculate the value of Mode by converting the data into Discrete series:
Height
(in 52 50 66 70 66 72 71 66 60 67 69 67 48 60 65
inches)

Ans. Mode (Z) is 66

inches

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 Q 3. Find out the mode from the following figures by (i) Observation Method; (ii)
Frequency distribution Method.
57 50 60 65 80 40 43 63 70 60 53 57 63 53 57 60 57
Ans. Mode (Z) is 57

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 Discrete Series (or Frequency Array)
There are two methods to determine mode in a discrete series or Frequency Array:
(i) Mode by Observation, known as Inspection Method
(ii) Mode by Grouping Method.

Let us discuss these two methods in detail:

(i) Mode by Observation
The mode can be determined by inspection if:
 Frequencies are regular and homogeneous; and
 There is only one item which has the maximum frequency.
In such a case, the value corresponding to the highest frequency would be the modal
value.

Q 1. Find out mode of the following series.

Daily Wages(in 100 110 120 130 140 150
Rs.)
No. of persons 2 4 8 10 5 4
Ans Rs.130

(ii) Mode by Grouping Method

If the frequency distribution is irregular and heterogeneous, then it is not necessary
that mode is always the value which occurs most frequently or whose frequency is
the maximum. It is also possible that more than one value has the highest frequency
in the series. In such cases, Grouping Method is generally used for obtaining the
mode.

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According to grouping method, 2 tables are prepared to determine the modal value:
1. Grouping Table: In this first table, groupings of frequencies are presented in six
columns.
2. Analysis Table: In this second table, occurrence of frequencies or values in
various groupings are written and added. Modal value is the
value which occurs in the maximum number of groupings.

Steps of Grouping Method

Prepare a table consisting of 6 columns, in addition to a column for various values of
X.
Column 1: Write the frequencies against various values of X, as given in the
question; Column 2: Group frequencies in two's starting from the top. Find out their
total and mark
the highest total;
Column 3: Group frequencies in two's starting from the second frequency (i.e. first
frequency is left out). Find out their total and mark the highest total;
Column 4: Group frequencies in three's starting from the top. Find out their total and
mark the highest total;
Column 5: Group frequencies in three's starting from the second frequency (i.e. first
frequency is left out). Find out their total and mark the highest total;
Column 6: Group frequencies in three's starting from the third frequency (i.e. first and
second frequencies are left out). Find out their total and mark the highest
total.
The highest frequency total in each of the six columns is identified and analysed in
the Analysis Table, to determine mode.

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 Q 2 . Calculate the value of Mode from the data given by grouping method.
Daily Wages 100 110 120 130 140 150
(in Rs.)
No. of persons 2 4 8 10 5 4
Ans Rs.130

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Continuous Series
In continuous series, mode lies in a particular class or group, which is called the
modal class.
The following two methods are used in determining mode:
(i) Observation Method or Inspection Method
(ii) Grouping Method.

Observation Method
If the frequencies are regular, homogeneous and there is a single maximum
frequency, then we can use the observation method to determine Mode.

Steps of Observation Method

Step 1. Determine the modal class, i.e. class with the highest frequency;
Step 2. Determine the exact value of mode by the following formula:

Where,
l₁ = Lower limit of modal class
f₁ = Frequency of the modal class
fo = Frequency of class preceding the modal class
f₂ = Frequency of class succeeding the modal class
I = Class-interval of the modal class
The formula for calculation of Mode can also be expressed as:

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 Q 1. Find out mode of the following series.
Class-Interval 0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25
Frequency 2 4 15 6 7
Ans. Mode = 12.75

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 Grouping Method
As discussed before, Inspection Method is of use only when there is regularity and
homogeneity in the series. When there are more than one class intervals with higher
frequencies or when frequency distribution is irregular and heterogeneous, then
Grouping Method is preferred.

Steps of Grouping Method

The determination of mode by grouping method involves two steps:
Step 1. Determine the Modal Class by the process of grouping. The grouping
procedure is same as done under discrete series.
Step 2. Determine the exact value of mode by the following formula:

Q 2. From the following data, determine mode.

Size 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70 70-80 80-90
Frequency 4 10 25 15 23 22 12 3
Ans. Mode = 58.89

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 (Left Blank Intentionally)

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 NUMERICALS BASED ON THE CONCEPT: (SANDEEP GARG)

Individual Series

1. Age of 11 students of class XI is given below. Find the modal age by: (i)
Observation Method; (ii) Frequency distribution Method.

Age
15 16 16 17 15 16 18 17 15 17 17
(in years)
Ans. Mode = 17 years

2. Find modal item of the followings set of numbers:

2 5 2 3 5 5 6 4 5 3 5 2 5 7 1
Ans. Mode = 5

Discrete Series

3. From the following data, calculate the value of mode.

Salary (in Rs.) 2,000 2,100 2,400 2,900 3,100 3,300

No. of 3 5 10 19 8 4
Workers
Ans. Mode = Rs.2,900

4. Compute the mode from the following by: (i) Observation Method; (ii) Grouping
Method.

Height (in 60 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
inches)
No. of 5 13 18 20 21 30 23 12 4 2
Persons
Ans. Mode = 66

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 Continuous Series

5. Find out mode from the following data :

Class- 0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25 25-30 30-35 35-40

Interval
Frequency 5 7 15 18 16 9 6 3
Ans. Mode = 18

6. Calculate the mode from the following data:

Marks 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-60 60-70

No. of Students 8 11 9 25 12 16
Ans. Mode = 45.52

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