Subject Code: Statistics 1 Introduction to Statistics

Module Code: 4.0 Summarizing Quantitative Variables

Lesson Code: 4.1 Measures of Center
Time Limit: 30 minutes

TARGET

After completing this module, you are expected to:

1. Define the measures of center – mean, median, and mode.
2. Compute using technology the mean, median and mode of a data set.
3. Differentiate the measures of center.

HOOK

In your Mathematics 1 subject during grade 7, the concept of measures of center or, in general,
averages were already discussed. These are the mean, median, and mode. Recall that these measures
are used to describe the data set using one value. This is one of the main goals of statistics: to summarize
data.
In this module, the idea of measures of center will be revisited further delving deeper to its uses
in Statistics. You may visit the link below to watch a video on the measures of center as an introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DYtC7lrVuY

IGNITE

An average is defined as a single number representing a set of numbers. Examples of how

averages are used include: average height, average size, average grade, average income, average number
of children and many more. However, the word average is ambiguous, since several different methods
can be used to obtain an average. Loosely stated, the average denotes the center of the distribution or
the most typical case. Measures of average are also called measures of center and include the mean,
median, and mode. So when asked what number best represents a group of numbers, the average is
usually what is used.

Statistics 1 Page 1|6

The Mean

The mean of a data set, familiarly known as the arithmetic average, is solved by adding the values in
the data set and then dividing by the total number of values. For example, the mean of 7, 3, 6, 4, and 2
is given by (7 + 3 + 6 + 4 + 2) ÷ 5 = 4.4. The values of the data can be represented by 𝑥’s, e.g.
in this data set, 𝑥1 = 7, 𝑥2 = 3, 𝑥3 = 6, 𝑥4 = 4, and 𝑥5 = 2. In representing the sum of several 𝑥 values,
the symbol ∑ (the capital Greek letter “sigma”) may be used, where ∑ 𝑥 means to find the sum of all
the values of 𝑥. So, in this case, the following is the formula for the mean:

Formula for the Mean

When the data comes from a population, 𝜇 is used for the mean.
𝑥1 + 𝑥2 + 𝑥3 + ⋯ + 𝑥𝑛 ∑ 𝑥
𝜇= =
𝑁 𝑁
where 𝑁 is the number of values in the population.

When the data comes from a subset of the population, called a sample, the symbol 𝑥̅ is used to represent
the mean.
𝑥1 + 𝑥2 + 𝑥3 + ⋯ + 𝑥𝑛 ∑𝑥
𝑥̅ = =
𝑛 𝑛
where 𝑛 is the number of values in the sample.

The group that contains all the individuals of importance to the study is called the population, e.g. the
population of all students in your campus. Sometimes, when the data from all the members of the
populations is not available, then data from a subset is taken. This subset of the population is called a
sample. This is the main distinction between the two formulas, represents the mean of ALL individuals
of interest, the other one only for a subset. In a future lesson, the distinction between the two will be
discussed further. Also, note that the symbol 𝜇 is the Greek letter mu, which you may have previously
encountered in IS as the symbol for micro. In statistics, this is the symbol for the population mean.

Example 1: While creating your new playlist composed of fifteen songs, you decide to look at their
lengths. Below are the lengths of the songs in seconds. Find the mean length of the songs in your
playlist.
167, 177, 234, 247, 222, 190, 208, 174, 182, 208, 216, 173, 228, 239, and 242.

Solution:
To find the mean song length, we need to add all the values and divide it by fifteen.
167 + 177 + 234 + 247 + 222 + ⋯ + 239 + 242 3107
𝑥̅ = = = 207.133
15 15
The mean of the song length of the fifteen songs in the playlist is 207.133 seconds.

Statistics 1 Page 2|6

The Median

The second measure of center is the median, defined as the middle value in a data set. To find
it, the data must first be arranged, either increasing or decreasing. There will be same number of data
points above and below the median. When the number of individuals is an odd number, then the median
is the exact middle value.

Example 2: Using the same data set from Example 1, we have the lengths of the fifteen songs below.
Find the median of the data set.
167, 177, 234, 247, 222, 190, 208, 174, 182, 208, 216, 173, 228, 239, and 242.

Solution:
First, the data should be arranged in order. A data which is arranged in order is called a data
array.
167, 173, 174, 177, 182, 190, 208, 208, 216, 222, 228, 234, 239, 242, 247
↑
Median

To find the median, the middle value is chosen. Thus, the median is 208 seconds. However,
when the number of values is an even number, the median will fall between two middle values.

Example 3: There are six children in a family. Find the median age if their ages are the following: 25,
23, 20, 17, 13, 10.

Solution:
The data given is already arranged in order. However, compared to the previous example, there
are six values, so there are two middle values.
25, 23, 20, 17, 13, 10
↑
Median

Since the middle value is between 20 and 17, find the median the average of these two.

20 + 17 37
Median = = = 18.5
2 2

The median age of the children is 18.5.

The Mode

The mode is the value that appears most often in a data set. It is possible for a data set to have
no mode or have more than one mode. Data sets with two modes are said to be bimodal, while data sets
with more than 2 modes are called multimodal.

Example 4: Using the same data set from Example 1, we have the lengths of the fifteen songs below.
Find the mode of the data set.

167, 177, 234, 247, 222, 190, 208, 174, 182, 208, 216, 173, 228, 239, and 242.

Statistics 1 Page 3|6

Solution:
It may be necessary to arrange the data in order to clearly identify which data points are
repeating. If arranged, the data set can be presented as follows and observe that 208 is the only repeating
value.
167, 173, 174, 177, 182, 190, 208, 208, 216, 222, 228, 234, 239, 242, 247

Thus, the mode is 208 seconds.

Example 5: The following data is the number of rooms in six hotels from a certain city. Find the mode.
20, 35, 45, 56, 18, 27

Solution:
Unfortunately, in the data set, there is no repeated value, which means there is no mode. Note
that this does not mean that the mode is zero. By saying that the mode is zero means the most frequent
number of rooms in the hotels in the city is zero, which is absurd! Thus, when there are no repeated
values, then there is no mode. When there are multiple values that occur most often, then all these values
are modes.

The Weighted Mean

Another type of average is the weighted mean. Some data points contribute more “weight” than
others instead of each data point contributing equally to the mean. If all the weights are the same, then
the weighted mean equals the arithmetic mean. You have encountered this in computing your GWA,
some subjects, like math 1 and IS, have more weight compared to other subjects. In this case, the number
of units corresponds to the weight of each grade. Technically, to get the GWA, you multiply each grade
by the number of units, then divide the sum by the total number of units. Similarly, the formula for the
weighted mean is given by:

Formula for the Weighted Mean

When the values 𝑥1 , 𝑥2 , … , 𝑥𝑛 have corresponding weights 𝑤1 , 𝑤2 , … , 𝑤𝑛 , the weighted mean is given
by the sum of all the products of 𝑥 with its corresponding weight, divided by the sum of the weights.

𝑤1 𝑥1 + 𝑤2 𝑥2 + ⋯ + 𝑤𝑛 𝑥𝑛 ∑ 𝑤𝑥
𝑥̅ = =
𝑤1 + 𝑤2 + ⋯ + 𝑤𝑛 ∑𝑤

Example 6: A Grade 8 student received a grade of 1.50 in Integrated Science 2 (2 units), a 1.25 in
Mathematics 2 (1.7 units), a 1.50 in Computer Science 2 (1 unit), a 1.00 in ADTech 2 (1 unit), and a
1.25 in Earth Science 1 (0.7 units). Find the student’s general weighted average for these Science and
Math Subjects.

Statistics 1 Page 4|6

Solution:
Subjects Unit Grade
Integrated Science 2 2 1.50
Mathematics 2 1.7 1.25
Computer Science 2 1 1.50
ADTech 2 1 1.00
Earth Science 1 0.7 1.25

∑ 𝑤𝑥 2(1.50) + 1.7(1.25) + 1(1.50) + 1(1.00) + 0.7(1.25) 8.5

𝑥̅ = = = = 1.328
∑𝑤 2 + 1.7 + 1 + 1 + 0.7 6.4

The general weighted average of the student is 1.328.

NAVIGATE

It’s your time to work on different word problems. Please solve the following word problems on your
notebook.

1. Find the (a) mean, (b) median, and (c) mode of the recorded temperatures (in °C) during the ten
days you were on vacation in an island in the middle of summer.
36.5, 37.2, 35.6, 37.8, 38.1, 37.2, 36.9, 38.0, 37.8, 38.7

2. The Filipino 1 subject has the following grade components -- 10% for homework assignments,
25% for quizzes, 25% for compositions, and 40% for the quarter exam. If you get 90% on
homework assignments, 85% on quizzes, 95% on composition, and 88% on the quarter exam,
what is your expected percentage grade?

3. If there are 12 scores and the largest increases by 36 points, what is the effect on the mean
score?

Answers: 1. a. 37.38, b. 37.5, c. 37.2 2. 89.2% 3. the mean increases by 3 points

KNOT

In summary, the measures of center are values that represent the middle of a group of data.
These measures are the mean, median, and mode. The mean uses all the values of the data set, unlike
the other two, this has some drawbacks, as extreme values tend to pull it towards their direction. Also,
the mean is used in computing important values that also describe the data set.
On the other hand, the median is used to find out whether the data values fall into the upper half
or lower half of the distribution. The median, unlike the mean, is more resistant to extremely high or

Statistics 1 Page 5|6

extremely low values, because it does utilize all the values of the data set, only the middle value(s)
is/are considered.
Lastly, the mode is used when the most frequent value is needed. Typically, it is used when the
data is categorical. The mode may not exist, and may not be unique, which could present a challenge
for quantitative variables.

References:
1. De Veaux, Richard, Velleman, Paul & Bock, David (2014). Intro Stats (4th Edition). Pearson.
2. Bluman, Allan (2009). Elementary Statistics: A Step by Step Approach (8th Edition). McGraw-
Hill.

Prepared by: Jose Mari E. Ortega Reviewed by: Jennifer Ann de los Reyes
Position: Special Science Teacher IV Position: Special Science Teacher III
Campus: PSHS-SMC Campus: PSHS-EVC

Statistics 1 Page 6|6