Business Statistics

Estimating mode and median from grouped data

August 7, 2021
Example of estimating the mode from
grouped data
Part Time Hours Worked ( Weekly) Frequency
4 - 8 4
9 – 13 7
14 – 18 12
19 – 23 6
24 - 28 11
Total 40
Steps

1) Find the modal class

The modal class in this instance is 14 – 18 since it has highest
frequency
2) Find the class width (size)
The class width (size ) is 5 hours
3) Find the lower boundary of the modal class,
The lower boundary of the modal class is 13.5,
Lower boundary = Lower limit – 0.5
Steps

4) Write the formula down and interpret it

mode estimate =
L = lower boundary of the modal class
w = class width or class size
= frequency of the modal class
= frequency of the class before the modal class
Steps
• State the values
L = 13.5
W=5

6
Testing

Criteria
The modal estimate must be within the modal class.
Instance a student got answer of 8.4 hours
8.4 is not a number between 14 and 18 , so 8.4 could not be the correct
answer. We are going to calculate .
Calculation

1) Replace the variables by their values ( substitution )

2) Calculate using the correct order of operations
Calculations

• mode estimate =

=
=
=
= 13.5 + 2.3
Estimating the median from grouped data

• For this exercise we will be using the same summary table.

1) Find the median class :
The median class is located where the th value is found.
where .
Therefore the median class is located where the
is located (20.5) between the 20th and 21st value.
Steps

• The median class is the class that has the 20th and 21st values
In order to locate the 20th and 21st values we adjust the grouped
frequency distribution and generate a cumulative frequency
distribution table.
Steps
Part Time Hours Worked(Weekly) Frequency Cumulative Frequency
4–8 4 0+4=4

9 - 13 7 4 + 7 = 11*= B
14 - 18 12 = G 11 +12 = 23**
19 - 23 6
24 - 28 11
Total 40
Steps

*Passing through the class 9 -13 only the 11th value reached
** Passing through the class 14 -18 we reach the 20th and 21st
values, therefore 14 – 18 is the median class.
The class width is 5 .
Steps

• Write down the formula

•Part Time Hours Worked ( Weekly)
•Frequcy

Median estimate =
Steps

• Stating the values,

• L = 13.5
•w=5
• N = 40
• B = 11
• G = 12
Calculations

• Median estimate =
• =
• = 13.5 +
• = 13.5 +
• = 13.5 + 3.8
• = 17. 3 hours
Home Work

• Find estimates for the mean, mode and median from the following
grouped frequency distribution tables.
Table I

Minutes spent resolving customer query Frequency

3–4 2
5-6 3
7–8 5
9 – 10 8
11 - 12 2
Total 22
Table II
Volume of water drank per day ( liters) Frequency
0.1 - 0.4 2
0.5 - 0.8 5
0.9 - 1.2 9
1.3 - 1.6 1
1.7 - 2.0 3
Total 20