For instructional purposes only • 1st Semester SY 2020-2021 3

Lesson 1.1: Measures of Central Tendency

Lesson Summary
Measures of central tendency provide a very convenient way of
describing a set of scores with a single number that describes the performance
of a group. It is also defined as a single value used to describe the "center" of
the data. It is thought of as a typical value in a given distribution. These are the
mean, median, and mode. We shall discuss some of the mean, median, and
mode properties and how to compute for their value when applied in a
classroom setting.

Learning Outcomes
1. Compute the mean, median, and mode in grouped and ungrouped
data
2. Interpret the results of computed mean, median, and mode

Motivation Question
What can be assumed in the distribution when mean, median, and mode are
equal?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Discussion
The word "measures of central tendency" means the central
location or point of convergence of a set of values. Test scores tend to
converge at a central value. This value is the average of the set of scores. In
other words, a measure of central tendency gives a single value representing a
given set of scores. Three commonly-used measures of central tendency or
measures of central location are the mean, median, and mode.
Table 1. Measures of Central Tendency and its Properties

Measures of Central Tendency Properties

Mean – refers to the arithmetic  used when the data are in the
average. interval or ratio level of
measurement
 used when the frequency
distribution is regular, symmetrical,
or normal
 measures stability
 easily affected by extreme scores

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 4 PrEd161: Assessment in Student Learning 2

 may not be an actual score in the

distribution
 very easy to compute
 the sum of each score’s distance
from the mean is zero
 used to compute other measures
such as standard deviation,
coefficient of variation, and
skewness
Median – refers to the centermost  used when the data are n ordinal
scores when the scores in the level of measurement
distribution are arranged according  used when the frequency
to magnitude (from highest score to distribution is irregular or skewed
lowest score or from lowest score to  used when the middlemost score
highest score) is desired
 used when there are extreme
scores
 not affected by the extreme
scores because it is a positional
measure
 may not be an actual observation
in the data set
Mode – refers to the score/s that  used when the data are in the
occurs most frequently in the score nominal level of measurement
distribution  used when quick answer is
needed
 used when the score distribution
Types of Mode is normal
1. Unimodal is a score  can be used for quantitative, as
distribution that consists of well as qualitative data
one mode.  may not be unique
2. Bimodal is a score  not affected by extreme values
distribution that consists of  may not exist at times
two modes.
3. Trimodal is a score that
consists of three modes. It is
also considered as multi-
modal – a score distribution
that consists of more than
two modes.

Example: The following scores of 11 students in their 1st long exam in

PrEd 146 are: 88, 81, 75, 95, 98, 88, 86, 72, 80, 90, 92. Find the mean,
median, and mode.
Solution:
∑𝑥
a. Mean: 𝑥̅ = , where 𝑥 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝑛 = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠
𝑛

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(88+81+75+95+98+88+86+72+80+90+92) 945
𝑥̅ = = = 85.90909091 ≈ 86
11 11

Interpretation: Most of the students’ scores are close to 86 points.

b. Median: Array: 72, 75, 80, 81, 86, 88, 88, 90, 92, 95, 98
𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 𝑋(𝑛+1) = 𝑋(11+1) = 𝑋12 = 𝑋6 =88 (6th score)
2 2 2

Interpretation: Half of the students got 88 points and below while the
other half got 88 points and above.
c. Mode: 88
Interpretation: Majority of the students get the score of 88 points.

A. MEAN

- Represented by M or 𝒙̅
- Used to describe a set of data as to what point the item values or
scores tend to cluster or concentrate
- Affected by extreme values

Mean for ungrouped data

 Sum of the item values divided by the number of items

 Also called as the simple average scores. Can be written
mathematically as,
∑𝒙
̅=
𝒙
𝒏
Where, ∑ 𝒙 is the sum of item values
𝒏 is the number of items

Example: The grades in Algebra of 10 students are 82, 85, 79, 78, 89, 87, 88,
89, 75, and 77. What is their mean grade?

∑ 𝒙 𝟖𝟐 + 𝟖𝟓 + 𝟕𝟗 + 𝟕𝟖 + 𝟖𝟗 + 𝟖𝟕 + 𝟖𝟖 + 𝟖𝟗 + 𝟕𝟓 + 𝟕𝟕
̅=
𝒙 =
𝒏 𝟏𝟎
𝟖𝟐𝟗
= = 𝟖𝟐. 𝟗
𝟏𝟎
INTERPRETATION: Most of the students’ scores are close to 83 points.

Mean for grouped data

 The elements in a set of data may be arranged and grouped

resulting in a frequency distribution table
∑ 𝒇𝒙
̅=
𝒙
𝒏
Where, f is the frequency of class intervals
x is the midpoint of the interval
𝒏 is the total number of frequency

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Example: Calculate the mean grade of 50 students in Physics

Interval Frequency (f) Midpoint (x) fx

90-94 7 92 644
85-89 13 87 1,131
80-84 16 82 1,312
75-79 8 77 616
70-74 6 72 432
50 416 4135
∑ 𝒇𝒙 𝟒𝟏𝟑𝟓
̅=
𝒙 = = 𝟖𝟐. 𝟕 ≈ 𝟖𝟑
𝒏 𝟓𝟎
INTERPRETATION: Most of the students’ grade are close to 83 points.

B. MEDIAN

- The value or the score scales separates the top half of the group
from the bottom half.
- It is also the middle score when all the scores in a distribution are
ranked according to size.
- The score which has 50% of the remaining cases above it and 50%
below it.

Median for ungrouped data

Steps:
a. Arrange the scores from highest to lowest or lowest to highest
b. Locate the median
c. Solve using the formula

If the number of scores is an odd number, the median is the

-
middle score.
Example: Scores of 11 students in their 1st long exam in PrEd146 are: 88, 81,
75, 95, 98, 88, 86, 72, 80, 90, 92, 95, 98.
Array: 72, 75, 80, 81, 86, 88, 88, 90, 92, 95, 98
𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 𝑋𝑛+1 = 𝑋11+1 = 𝑋6 = 88 (6𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒)
2 2

INTERPRETATION: There are five scores less than or equal to 88 points and
there are five scores greater than or equal to 88 points.

If the number of scores is an even number, the median is the

-
point halfway between the two middle scores.
Example: Scores of students in their 2nd long exam in PrEd146.
Array: 115, 118, 119, 120, 120, 124, 125, 127, 127, 128

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𝑋10 + 𝑋10
𝑋𝑛 + 𝑋𝑛+1
2 2 +1
2 𝑋5 + 𝑋5+1 𝑋5 + 𝑋6
𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = = 2 = =
2 2 2 2
120 + 124 244
= = = 122
2 2
INTERPRETATION: Half of the students got 122 points and below while the
other half got 122 points and above.

Median for grouped data

Steps:
1. Compute the cumulative frequency (cf)
2. Divide N by 2 or taking the 50% of N.
3. Find the class interval for which the cumulative frequency is just
less than the required number of cases.
4. Determine the frequency of the median class.
5. Solve using the formula.
- Characteristics:
 Extreme scores do not affect the size of the median
 The value of the median is determined entirely by middle
scores when they are arranged in order
𝑵
−𝑭
- Formula: 𝑴𝒅 = 𝑳 + ( 𝟐 ) (𝒊)
𝒇

Where:
Md = median
L = exact lower limit of interval containing the Median
F = sum of frequencies below L
f = frequency of interval containing the Median
N = number of cases
i = class width/class size
Example: Students’ scores in Math 11 during midterm exam
Class
Scores f <cf
Boundaries
120-122 2 40 119.5-122.5
117-119 2 38 116.5-119.5
114-116 2 36 113.5-116.5
111-113 4 34 110.5-113.5
108-110 5 30 107.5-110.5
105-107 9 25 104.5-107.5
102-104 6 16 101.5-104.5
99-101 3 10 98.5-101.5
96-98 4 7 95.5-98.5
93-95 2 3 92.5-95.5

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 8 PrEd161: Assessment in Student Learning 2

90-92 1 1 89.5-92.5
N=40
𝑁 40
Since = = 20, the median class interval was located through
2 2
cumulative frequency which is the closest of greater than 20.

Given: L=104.5, F= 16, f=9, N=40, i=3

𝑵 𝟒𝟎
−𝑭 − 𝟏𝟔
𝑴𝒅 = 𝑳 + ( 𝟐 ) (𝒊) = 𝟏𝟎𝟒. 𝟓 + ( 𝟐 ) (𝟑)
𝒇 𝟗
𝟐𝟎 − 𝟏𝟔 𝟒
= 𝟏𝟎𝟒. 𝟓 + ( ) (𝟑) = 𝟏𝟎𝟒. 𝟓 + ( ) (𝟑)
𝟗 𝟗
𝟏𝟐
= 𝟏𝟎𝟒. 𝟓 + = 𝟏𝟎𝟓. 𝟖𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 ≈ 𝟏𝟎𝟔
𝟗
INTERPRETATION: Half of the students got 106points and below
while the other half got 106 points and above.

C. MODE

- Denoted by Mo
- Value that occurs most I the given data set
- Most easily obtained measures of central tendency
- Scores that occurs more times than any other sources

Mode for ungrouped data

- The score in a set of scores that occurs most frequently.

Example:
1. In the set of scores (3,5,5,7,8,8,8,10) the mode is 8 because
it occurs more often than any other score.
2. Raw scores:
97 93 90 95 91 92 98 88
90 90 91 94 96 90 90 87
Here, the value of 90 occurs five times, more frequently
than any other value. Hence, the mode is 90.

Mode for grouped data

- Mode is taken at the midpoint of the class interval with the

largest or highest frequency
𝑓 −𝑓
- Formula: 𝑀𝑜 = 𝐿 + ( 𝑚𝑜 1 ) (𝑖)
2𝑓𝑚𝑜 −𝑓1 −𝑓2

Where:
L = Lower class boundary of the modal class
i = class size
𝑓𝑚𝑜 = frequency of the modal class

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𝑓1 = frequency of the class one step lower than the modal class
𝑓2 = frequency of the class one step higher than the modal class

Example:
Scores f Class boundaries

40-44 4 39.5-44.5

45-49 5 44.5-49.5

50-54 8 - 𝑓1 49.5-54.5

55-59 10 - 𝒇𝒎𝒐 54.5-59.5

60-64 7 - 𝑓2 59.5-64.5

65-69 6 64.5-69.5

70-74 5 69.5-74.5
𝑓𝑚𝑜 − 𝑓1 10 − 8
𝑀𝑜 = 𝐿 + ( ) (𝑖) = 54.5 + ( ) (5)
2𝑓𝑚𝑜 − 𝑓1 − 𝑓2 2(10) − 8 − 7
2 2 10
= 54.5 + ( ) (5) = 54.5 + ( ) (5) = 54.5 + ( )
20 − 15 5 5
= 54.5 + 2 = 56.5 ≈ 57

INTERPRETATION: It is estimated that about 22% (10 out of 45) of the

observations are equal to 57 points. (Majority of the students got the score of
57 points.)

Conventional Use of Mode

 If all of the scores in a group have the same frequency, it is customary
to say that the group of scores has no mode. (0.5,0.5,1.6,1.6,3.9,3.9)
 When two adjacent scores have the same frequency, and this common
frequency is greater than that for any other score, the mode is the
average of the two adjacent scores. Thus, the mode of the group of
scores(0,1,2,2,2,3,3,3,4) is 2.5.
 If, in a group of scores, two non-adjacent scores have the same
frequency and this common frequency is greater than that for any other
score, two modes exist. In the group of scores
(10,11,11,11,12,13,14,14,14,17), both 11 and 14 are modes; the group of
score is said to be bimodal.
Properties of Mode
 Determined by the frequency and not by the value of the observations.
 It cannot be manipulated algebraically, and hence modes of subgroups
cannot be combined like the mean.
 It can be defined in both qualitative and quantitative data.
 It can be computed with open-ended intervals provided the modal class
is not open-ended.

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