C3 Measures of Central Tendency

Chapter 3 : Measures of Central Tendency
Definitions
Statistics is a branch of science, which deals with the collection, presentation,
analysis and interpretation of quantitative data.
Branches of Statistics
Descriptive Statistics is a method concerned with collecting, describing, and
analyzing a set of data without drawing conclusions (or inferences) about a
large group.
Inferential statistics is a branch of statistics, concerned with the analysis of a
subset of data leading to predictions or inferences about the entire set of data.
Definition of Ungrouped Data

For Example: Let us say there are 30 women in a
Numerical Data available in its colony, whose age group are as follows:
authentic form is called ungrouped
data. It is a collection of 55, 35, 29, 35, 24, 77, 65, 45, 26, 29, 35, 66, 57,
observations that are gathered 59, 33, 31, 64, 28, 63, 55, 25, 69, 46, 38, 48, 61,
initially during the research by the 37, 55, 24, 64
investigator or obtained from the
specified source. It is gathered as Data available in such a form is called raw data.
individual observations, commonly And each entry i.e. 55, 35, 296, and so forth, is
as a table or range of jumbled the value or observation.
values.
What is Frequency Distribution?
A frequency distribution is the

arrangement of data in tabular form
which represents the frequency, with
which each consecutive value of the
variable occurs.
Definition of Grouped Data
When we assemble raw data into a number of

classes, the resultant data is the grouped data. For Example: With the help of class intervals 1
This is done to get a more condensed form of – 10, 11 – 20, 21 – 30,…. Prepare the frequency
data. Data are grouped when the variable distribution for the given data:
stretches over a wide range and there are a
large number of observations, and it is not 22, 65, 32, 36, 28, 17, 15, 64, 86, 52, 36, 55, 9,
possible to arrange the data in any order, as it 48, 65, 96, 14, 6, 37, 69, 76, 49, 37, 46, 21, 67,
consumes a lot of time. Hence, it is pertinent to 92, 98
convert frequency into a class group called
a class interval.
So, when the data are arranged in groups, it is

called grouped data. A grouped frequency
distribution indicates the number of times
different values occur in different groups.
When the data is arranged in this form, no
information is lost.
For Example: With the help of class intervals 1

– 10, 11 – 20, 21 – 30,…. Prepare the frequency
distribution for the given data:
22, 65, 32, 36, 28, 17, 15, 64, 86, 52, 36, 55, 9,
48, 65, 96, 14, 6, 37, 69, 76, 49, 37, 46, 21, 67,
92, 98
Definition of Grouped Data
When we assemble raw data into a number of classes,

the resultant data is the grouped data. This is done to get
a more condensed form of data. Data are grouped when
the variable stretches over a wide range and there are a
large number of observations, and it is not possible to
arrange the data in any order, as it consumes a lot of
time. Hence, it is pertinent to convert frequency into a
class group called a class interval.
So, when the data are arranged in groups, it is called

grouped data. A grouped frequency distribution
indicates the number of times different values occur in
different groups. When the data is arranged in this form,
no information is lost.
COMPARISON CHART
BASIS FOR
UNGROUPED DATA GROUPED DATA
COMPARISON
Meaning Data that is gathered for the first time When raw data are grouped into
during a study or experiment, is classes, it is termed Grouped data.
called Ungrouped data.
Preferred when Collecting data Analyzing data
Classification Not organized and Classified Organized and Classified
Presentation Use of lists Use of frequency tables
Summary No form of summarization Summarized in the frequency

distribution
Frequency Distribution
Frequency distribution is a tabular arrangement of data into appropriate
categories showing the number of observation in each category or group.
There are two major advantages: (a) it encompasses the size of the table;
and (b) it makes the data more interpretive.
Parts of Frequency Table
1. Class Limit is the grouping or categories defined by the lower and upper limits.
Examples: LL – UL
10 – 14
15 – 19
20 – 24
Lower class limit (LL) represents the smallest number in each group.
Upper class limit (UL) represents the highest number in each group.
2. Class size (c.i) is the width of each class interval.
Examples: LL – UL
10 – 14
15 – 19
20 – 24
The class size in this score distribution is 5.
Prerequisites for the formation of classes
 There should be non-overlapping and continuous classes.

 There should not be any gaps amidst classes.
 The size of the classes should be the same.
 Avoid open-ended classes, such as less than 5 or more than 9
 Limits of each class have to be selected in a way that no confusion regarding
which class a certain observation of the given data is a part of.
 A proper title should be given to the table so that it can convey exactly what
the table is about.
3. Class boundaries are the numbers used to separate each category in the
frequency distribution but without gaps create by the class limits. The scores of the
students are discrete. Add 0.5 to the upper limit to get the upper class boundary and
subtract 0.5 to the lower limit to get the lower class boundary in each group or
category.
Examples: LL – UL LCB - UCB
10 – 14 9.5 – 14.5
15 – 19 14.5 – 19.5
20 – 24 19.5 – 24.5
4. Class marks are the midpoint of the lower and upper class limits. The formula is
.
Examples: LL – UL XM
10 – 14 12
15 – 19 17
20 – 24 22
Steps in Constructing Frequency Distribution
1. Compute the value of the range (R). Range is the difference between the highest
score and the lowest score.
Determine the class size (c.i). The class size is the quotient when you divide the
range by the desired number of classes or categories. The desired numbers of
classes are usually 5, 10 or 15 they depend in the number of scores in the
distribution. If the desired number of classes is not identified,
or .
where k = 1 + 3.3 log n n = number of cases

2. Set up the class limits of each class or category. Each class defined by the lower
limit and upper limit. Use the lowest score as the lower limit of the first class.
3. Set up the class boundaries if needed. Use the formula,

4. Tally the scores in the appropriate classes.
5. Find the other parts if necessary such as class marks, among others.
Examples: Raw score of 40 students in a 50-item mathematics quiz. Construct a
frequency distribution following the steps given previously.
17 25 30 33 25 45 23 19
27 35 45 48 20 38 39 18
44 22 46 26 36 29 15 21
50 47 34 26 37 25 33 49
22 33 44 38 46 41 37 32
R = HS – LS
= 50 – 15 Find the class size.
R = 35
n = 40
Solve the value of k.
k = 1 + 3.3 log n
k = 1 + 3.3 log 40
k = 1 + 3.3 (1.602059991)
k = 1 + 5.286797971
k = 6.286797971
k=6
Construct the class limit starting with the lowest score as the lower limit of the first
category. The last category should contain the highest score in the distribution. Each
category should contain 6 as the size of the width (X). Count the number of scores that
falls in each category (f).
X Tally frequency (f)
15 – 20 ///// 5
21 – 26 ///////// 9
27 – 32 //// 4
33 – 38 ////////// 10
39 – 44 //// 4
45 – 50 //////// 8 .
n = 40
Find the class boundaries and class marks of the given score distribution.
X f Class Boundaries XM
15 – 20 5 14.5 – 20.5 17.5
21 – 26 9 20.5 – 26.5 23.5
27 – 32 4 26.5 – 32.5 29.5
33 – 38 10 32.5 – 38.5 35.5
39 – 44 4 38.5 – 44.5 41.5
45 – 50 8 . 44.5 – 50.5 47.5
n = 40
Graphical Representation of Scores in Frequency Distribution
The scores expressed in frequency distribution can be meaningful and easier to interpret when they are
graphed. There are methods of graphing frequency distribution: bar graph or histogram and frequency
polygon and smooth curve. Bar graph or histogram and frequency distribution will be discussed in this section
while smooth curve will be discussed later in the skewness.
Histogram consists of a set of rectangles having bases on the horizontal axis which centers at the class
marks. The base widths correspond to the class size and the height of the rectangles corresponds to the class
frequencies. Histogram is best used for graphical representation of discrete data or non-continuous data.
Frequency polygon is constructed by plotting the class marks against the class frequencies. The x-
axis corresponds to the class marks and the y-axis corresponds to the class frequencies. Connect the points
consecutively using a straight line. Frequency polygon is best used in representing continuous data such as the
scores of students in a given test.
A relative frequency distribution is very similar, except instead of reporting how many data values fall in a
class, they report the fraction of data values that fall in a class. These are called relative frequencies and can be
given as fractions, decimals, or percent.
A cumulative frequency distribution is another variant of a frequency distribution. Here, instead of reporting
how many data values fall in some class, they report how many data values are contained in either that class or
any class to its left.
The below table compares the values seen in a frequency distribution, a relative frequency distribution, and a
cumulative frequency distribution, for the following sequence of dice rolls.
Example of a Histogram
Example of a Frequency Polygon
Describing Group Performance
There are two major concepts in describing the assessed performance of the group:
measures of central tendency and measures of variability. Measures of central tendency
are used to determine the average score of a group of scores while measures of
variability indicate the spread of scores in the group. These two concepts are very
important and helpful in understanding the performance of the group.
Measure of Central Tendency

Measure of central tendency provides a very convenient way of describing a set of
scores with a single number that describe the performance of the group. It is also defined
as a single value that is used to describe the “center” of the data. It is thought of as a
typical value in a given distribution. There are three commonly used measures of central
tendency. These are the mean, median, and mode. In this section, we shall discuss how to
compute the value and some of the properties of the mean, median, and mode.
Mean
Mean is the most commonly used measure of the center of data and it is also referred as
the “arithmetic average.”
Computation of Population Mean

=
Computation of Sample Mean
=
Computation of the Mean for Grouped Data

X (scores)
Example 1: Scores of 15 students in 25 Analysis:
20
Mathematics I quiz consist of 25 18
The average performance of 15
students who participated in a
18
items. The highest score is 25 and mathematics quiz consisting of 25
17
15 items is 15.2. The implication of
the lowest score is 10. Here are the
15 this is that student who got score
scores: 25,20,18, 15 below 15.2 did not perform well in
14 the said examination. Students who
18,17,15,15,15,14,14,13,12,12,10,10 14 got score higher than 15.2
13
performed well in the examination
. Find the mean in the following 12
compared to the performance of
12
the whole class.
scores. 10
10
Ʃx = 228 n = 15
Example 2: Find the Grade Point Average (GPA) of Ritz Glenn for the first semester of the
school year 2018 – 2019. Use the table below:
Subject Grade (xi) Units (wi) (wi) (xi)

BM 112 1.25 3 3.75
BM 101 1.00 3 3.00
AC 103N 1.25 6 7.50
BEC 111 1.00 3 3.00
The Grade Point Average of
MGE 101 1.50 3 4.50 Ritz Glenn for the first
MKM 101 1.25 3 3.75 semester SY 2018-2019 is
FM 111 1.50 3 4.50 1.23.
PEN 2 1.00 2 2.00
Ʃ(wi) = 26 Ʃ(wi)(xi) = 32.00
Mean for Grouped Data
Grouped data are the data or scores that are arranged in a frequency distribution. Frequency
distribution is the arrangement of scores according to category of classes including the
frequency. Frequency is the number of observations falling in a category.
For this particular lesson we shall discuss only one formula in solving the mean for grouped
data which is called midpoint method. The formula is:
where = mean value

f = frequency in each class or category
Xm = midpoint of each class or category
= summation of the product of .
Steps of Solving Mean for Grouped Data
1. Find the midpoint or class mark of each class or category using the formula
2. Multiply the frequency and the corresponding class mark
3. Find the sum of the results in step 2.
4. Solve the mean using the formula .

Example 3: Scores of 40 students in a science class consist of 60 items and they are tabulated
below.
Solution:
X f Xm
10 – 14 5 12 60
15 – 19 2 17 34
20 – 24 3 22 66
25 – 29 5 27 135 Analysis:
30 – 34 2 32 64 The mean performance of 40 students in
35 – 39 9 37 333 science quiz is 33.63. Those students who got
scores below 33.63 did not perform well in
40 – 44 6 42 252
the said examination while those students
45 – 49 3 47 141 who got scores above 33.63 performed well.
50 – 54 5 52 260
n = 40
Properties of the Mean
1) It measures stability. Mean is the most stable among other measures of central
tendency because every score contributes to the value of the mean.
2) The sum of each score’s distance from the mean is zero.
3) It is easily affected by the extreme scores.
4) It may not be an actual score in the distribution.
5) It can be applied to interval level of measurement.
6) It is very easy to compute.

When to Use the Mean
1) Sampling stability is desired.
2) Other measures are to be computed such as standard

deviation, coefficient of variation and skewness.
Median
Median is the second type of measures of central tendency. Median is what divides the
scores in the distribution into two equal parts. Fifty percent (50%) lies below the median
value and 50% lies above the median value. It is also known as the middle score or the
50th percentile. For classroom purposes, the first thing to do is to arrange the scores in
proper order. That is to arrange the scores from the lowest score to highest score or
highest score to the lowest score. When the number cases are odd, the median is a score
that has the same number of scores below and above it. When the scores are even,
determine the average of the two middle most scores that have equal number of scores
below and above it.
Median of Ungrouped Data
1. Arrange the scores (from lowest to highest or highest to lowest).
2. Determine the middle most score in a distribution if n is an odd number

and get the average of the two middle most scores if n is an even
number.
Example 1: Find the median score of 7 students in an English class.
X (score)
19 Analysis:
17
16
15 The median score is 15. Fifty percent
10 (50%) or three of the scores are above 15
5 (19,17,16) and 50% or three of the scores
2 are below 15 (10,5,2).
Example 2: Find the median score of 8 students in an English class.
X (score)
30
19
17
16 Analysis:
15
10
5 The median score is 15.5. This means that
2 50% of the scores in the distribution are
lower than 15.5. These are 15,10,5, and 2,
while the other 50% are greater than 15.5
comprising the scores 30,19,17 and 16.
Median of Grouped Data
Formula:
c.i
= median value
MC = median class is a category containing the
= lower boundary of the median class (MC)
cfp = cumulative frequency before the median class if the scores are arranged from lowest to highest
value
fm = frequency of the median class
c.i = size of the class interval
Steps in Solving Median for Grouped Data
1. Complete the table for cf<.
2. Get of the scores in the distribution so that you can identify

median class (MC).
3. Determine , cfp, fm, and c.i.
4. Solve the median using the formula.

Example 3: Scores of 40 students in a science class consist of 60 items and they are
tabulated below. The highest score is 54 and the lowest score is 10.
X F cf <
10 – 14 5 5
15 – 19 2 7
20 – 24 3 10
25 – 29 5 15
30 – 34 2 17 (cfp)
35 – 39 9 (fm) 26
40 – 44 6 32
45 – 49 3 35
50 – 54 5 40
n = 40
c.i
Solution:
X F cf < = 5
10 – 14 5 5 = = 20
15 – 19 2 7 = 34.5 5
The category containing
20 – 24 3 10 = 34.5 +
25 – 29 5 15 is 35-39.
30 – 34 2 17 (cfp) MC = 35 – 39 = 34.5 + 1.67
35 – 39 9 (fm) 26 LL of the MC = 35
40 – 44 6 32
= 34.5 Analysis:
45 – 49 3 35
50 – 54 5 40 cfp = 17 The median value is 36.17,
which means that 50% or 20
n = 40 fm = 9
scores are less than 36.17.
c.i = 5
Properties of the Median
 It may not be an actual observation in the data set.
 It can be applied in ordinal level.
 It is not affected by extreme values because median is a
positional measure.
When to Use the Median
 The exact midpoint of the score distribution is desired.
 There are extreme scores in the distribution.
Mode
Mode is the third measure of central tendency. The mode or the modal score is a score or scores
that occurred most in the distribution. It is classified as unimodal, bimodal, and trimodal and
multimodal. Unimodal is a distribution of scores that consists of only one mode. Bimodal is a
distribution of scores that consists of two modes. Trimodal is a distribution of scores that consists
of three modes or multimodal is a distribution of scores that consists of more than two modes.
Example 1. Scores of 10 students of Section A, Section B, and Section C.
Scores of Section A Scores of Section B Scores of Section C The score that appeared most in
section A is 20, hence, the mode of
25 25 25 section A is 20. There is only one
24 24 25 mode, therefore, score distribution is
24 24 25 called unimodal. The modes of section
20 20 22 B are 18 and 24, since both 18 and 24
20 18 21 appeared twice. There are two modes
20 18 21 in section B, hence, the distribution is
16 17 21 a bimodal distribution. The modes for
section C are 18, 21, and 25. There are
12 10 18
three modes for section C, therefore, it
10 9 18
is called a trimodal or multimodal
7 7 18 distribution.
Mode for Grouped Data
In solving the mode value using grouped data, use the formula:
c.i
where
= lower boundary of the modal class
Modal Class (MC) = is a category containing the highest frequency
d1 = difference between the frequency of the modal class and the frequency above it,
when the scores are arranged from lowest to highest.
d2 = difference between the frequency of the modal class and the frequency below it,
when the scores are arranged from lowest to highest.
c.i = size of the class interval
Examples 2. Scores of 40 students in a science class consist of 60 items and they are
tabulated below. What is the mode?
X (scores) f Solution:
5
10 – 14 5 MC is 35-39
15 – 19 2 = 34.5 +
20 – 24 3 LL of MC = 35
25 – 29 5
= 34.5
30 – 34 2
35 – 39 9 d1 = 9 – 2 = 7
Analysis: The mode of the
40 – 44 6
d2 = 9 – 6 = 3 score distribution that consists
45 – 49 3
of 40 students is 38, because 38
50 – 54 5 c.i = 5 occurred several times.
n = 40
Properties of the Mode
 It can be used when the data are qualitative as well as

quantitative.
 It may not be unique.
 It is not affected by extreme values.
 It may not exist.
When to Use the Mode
 When the “typical” value is desired.

 When the data set is measured on a nominal scale.

C3 Measures of Central Tendency

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Chapter 3 : Measures of Central Tendency

Definition of Ungrouped Data

What is Frequency Distribution?

A frequency distribution is the

Definition of Grouped Data

When we assemble raw data into a number of

So, when the data are arranged in groups, it is

For Example: With the help of class intervals 1

Definition of Grouped Data

When we assemble raw data into a number of classes,

So, when the data are arranged in groups, it is called

Classification Not organized and Classified Organized and Classified

Presentation Use of lists Use of frequency tables

Summary No form of summarization Summarized in the frequency

Prerequisites for the formation of classes

 There should be non-overlapping and continuous classes.

where k = 1 + 3.3 log n n = number of cases

3. Set up the class boundaries if needed. Use the formula,

4. Tally the scores in the appropriate classes.

Measure of Central Tendency

Computation of Population Mean

Computation of the Mean for Grouped Data

Subject Grade (xi) Units (wi) (wi) (xi)

where = mean value

2. Multiply the frequency and the corresponding class mark

3. Find the sum of the results in step 2.

4. Solve the mean using the formula .

2) The sum of each score’s distance from the mean is zero.

3) It is easily affected by the extreme scores.

4) It may not be an actual score in the distribution.

5) It can be applied to interval level of measurement.

6) It is very easy to compute.

When to Use the Mean

1) Sampling stability is desired.

2) Other measures are to be computed such as standard

1. Arrange the scores (from lowest to highest or highest to lowest).

2. Determine the middle most score in a distribution if n is an odd number

1. Complete the table for cf<.

2. Get of the scores in the distribution so that you can identify

3. Determine , cfp, fm, and c.i.

4. Solve the median using the formula.

Properties of the Mode

 It can be used when the data are qualitative as well as

When to Use the Mode

 When the “typical” value is desired.

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