BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

MMW 101
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

Module 13
Measures of Central Tendency
“Statistics: Our Life Saver
and Influencer”
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Measures of Central Tendency

Objectives of the Module
At the end of the module, you should be able to:
1. compute for the mean, the median, and the mode of ungrouped data,
2. compute for the mean, the median, and the mode of grouped data, and
3. interpret the computed measures of central tendency.

A value that describes a set of data by identifying the central position within that
set of data is called a measure of central tendency. The three measures of central
tendency are the mean, the median, and the mode.

The mean or the average is the sum of all values in a data set divided by the
̅ . In some cases where individual values have
total number of values. It is denoted by 𝑿
different weights, the weighted mean is computed. This is done by multiplying each
value by its corresponding weight and dividing the sum of the products by the total
weights.

The median is the middle value in the distribution after arranging the data in
order of magnitude. Fifty percent of the data is above the median while the other fifty
percent fall below the median. It is denoted by "md".

The mode is the most frequently occurring value in a set of data. It is denoted
by "mo". If a set of data has only one value with the highest frequency (with only one
mode), then that set of data is unimodal. A set of data with two modes is bimodal, with
three modes is trimodal, and with many modes is multimodal. If all values in a data set
have the same number of occurrences, then there is no mode or the mode does not
exist.

Measures of Central Tendency for Ungrouped Data

1. Computation of the Mean

̅ = 𝚺𝐗
𝐗 Formula 1
𝒏

where: 𝑋 = represents the value of an observation

𝑛 = represents the total number of observations

If some values are repeated, the mean may be computed using the formula:

𝑓 = the number of occurrences of a value

̅ = 𝚺𝐟𝐗
𝐗 where: fX = the product of each value (X) and its
𝒏
frequency
𝑛 = represents the total number of observations
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Examples:
1.) The following are the ages of six senior citizens: 67, 72, 63, 65, 70, 68
Σ𝑋 67+72+63+65+70+68 405
𝑋̅ = 𝑛 = 6
= 6 = 67.5 average age

Interpretation: The average age of the six senior citizens is 67.5.

2.) The following is a set of scores: 60, 55, 42, 28, 39

Σ𝑋 60+55+42+28+39 224
𝑋̅ = 𝑛 = = 5 = 44.8 average score
5

Interpretation: The average score of the five students in the test is 44.8.

3.) The following is the number of computer units sold in the last 11 days:
12, 20, 31, 8, 15, 23, 15, 12, 31, 12, 12

Σf𝑋 4(12)+20+2(31)+8+2(15)+23 191

𝑋̅ = = = = 17.36 = 17 computer units
𝑛 11 11

Interpretation: The average number of computer units sold for the last 11 days is 17.

Weighted Mean
̅ = ΣWX
X
The formula is: ΣW Formula 2

where: X = represents each of the item values

W = represents the weight of each item
value
4.) Compute the weighted mean grade.

Course Code No. of Units Final Grade

Math 113 3 1.50
Math 115 5 1.25
English 113 3 1.75
Fil 113 3 2.00
Total units 14

ΣW𝑋 3(1.5) + 5(1.25) + 3(1.75) + 3(2.0) 22

𝑋̅ = = = = 1.57
ΣW 3+5+3+3 14

Interpretation: The average grade of the student in the four subjects is 1.57.
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2. Computation of the Median

To find the median, first, arrange the data in ascending order or vice versa.
However, you have to consider the following cases:

1.) If there is an odd number of 2.) If there is an even number of

observations, the middle value is the observations, the median is the
median. average of the two middle values.

Example: Example:

Set of scores: 48, 29, 18, 37, 31, 12, 23 Ages of teachers: 58, 63, 42, 33, 25, 49

12, 18, 23, 29, 31, 37, 48 25, 33, 42, 49, 53, 63

md = 29 42 + 49
md = = 45.5
2

For example number 2:

Interpretation: It can be said that fifty percent of the teachers have ages lower than
45.5 years, while the other fifty percent of them have ages higher than 45.5 years.

3. Computation of the Mode

Examples:
1. 15, 26, 15, 13, 15, 11, 15 (15 appeared four times)
mo = 15, unimodal distribution

2. 8, 17, 11, 17, 35, 20, 20, 17, 20 (17 and 20 appeared thrice)
mo = 17 and 20, bimodal distribution

3. 48, 21, 48, 19, 15, 12, 19, 15 (48, 15 and 19 appeared twice)
mo = 48, 15 and 19, trimodal distribution

4. 10, 19, 23, 46, 21, 32, 18 (There is no value that appeared more than
once.)
There is no mode or the mode does not exist.

The following are the weights (in kilograms) of eleven individuals. Find the
mean, the median, and the mode.

42, 45, 50, 42, 68, 53, 62, 47, 62, 44 and 42
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Solution:
1) X̅= ΣfX =3(42)+45 +50+68+53+2(62)+47+44 = 557
= 50.636 = 50.64
𝑛 11 11

2) ascending order: 42, 42, 42, 44, 45, 47, 50, 53, 62, 62, 68
md = 47

3) mo = 42 (42 appeared thrice)

Measures of Central Tendency for Grouped Data

In computing the mean, the median, and the mode for grouped data, we will
use the example given in the discussion of the frequency distribution table. (Refer to
table 4.) Here is table 5. Take note of the columns to be considered.

Table 5
Frequency Distribution of 50 Test Scores in Statistics

Class Class Class

Cumulative Frequency
Limits Boundaries 𝑓 Marks 𝑓𝑋𝑖 < 𝑐𝑓
LL - UL LB - UB (𝑋𝑖 )
24 - 30 23.5 - 30.5 3 27 (3•27) 81 3
31 – 37 30.5 - 37.5 3 34 (3•34) 102 6
38 – 44 37.5 - 44.5 6 41 (6•41) 246 12
45 – 51 44.5 - 51.5 7 48 336 19( <cfb )
52 – 58 lmd51.5 - 58.5 fmd 8 55 440 27(𝑛2 = 25 is found here)
59 – 65 58.5 - 65.5 9 62 558 36
66 – 72 65.5 - 72.5 3 69 207 39
73 – 79 72.5 - 79.5 6 76 456 45
80 – 86 79.5 - 86.5 3 83 249 48
87 - 93 86.5 - 93.5 2 90 180 50
𝑐=7 𝑛=50 𝚺𝐟𝐗𝐢 = 2855

1. The Mean
The formula for finding the mean of grouped data is:

̅ = 𝚺𝐟𝐗𝐢
𝑿 𝒏 Formula 3

where:
𝑓 = represents the frequency of each class
𝑋𝑖 = represents the class mark (class midpoint)
𝑛 = represents the total number of observations
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Steps in calculating the mean:

Step 1. Find the class mark (class midpoint) of each class. Place them in a column.
(This step is already done in the previous lesson.)

Step 2. Multiply the frequency 𝑓 by the class mark (𝑋𝑖 ) of each class. Place them in
another column. (5th column in Table 5)

Step 3. Find the sum of the products of the frequency and its midpoint ( ∑ 𝑓𝑋𝑖 ).

Step 4. Divide the sum obtained in Step 3 by the total number of frequencies (𝑛).

∑ 𝑓𝑋𝑖 2855
𝑋̅ = = = 𝟓𝟕. 𝟏
𝑛 50
Interpretation: The average score of the 50 students who took the test in Statistics
is 57.1.

Note: The computed mean is contained in the class interval 52 - 58.

2. The Median

The formula for computing the median of grouped data is:

𝑛
− < 𝑐𝑓𝑏
𝑚𝑑 = 𝑙𝑚𝑑 + (2 )𝑐 Formula 4
𝑓𝑚𝑑

where:
𝑙𝑚𝑑 = lower boundary of the median class
𝑛
= half of the total frequency
2
< 𝑐𝑓𝑏 = cumulative frequency (< 𝑐𝑓) of the class preceding/before the
median class
𝑓𝑚𝑑 = frequency of the median class
𝑐 = class size

Steps in calculating the median:

Step 1. Compute the cumulative frequency (< 𝑐𝑓). (This step is already done in the
previous lesson.)
𝑛 𝒏 𝟓𝟎
Step 2. Solve for . In our example, = = 𝟐𝟓.
2 𝟐 𝟐

Step 3. Locate the 25th value/item obtained in Step 2 under the < 𝑐𝑓column. (Refer
to table 5)
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𝑛
Note: The median class is the class containing the 2 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒.
𝑛
Do not take the < 𝑐𝑓 value that is less than 2 . Get the < 𝑐𝑓 value
𝑛
containing .
2

Looking at the < 𝑐𝑓 column in the table, the value containing the 25th
item is 27. The class interval across 27 is 52 - 58. Therefore, 52 – 58 is the
median class.

Step 4. Determine the lower boundary from the obtained median class.
Since 52 - 58 is the median class, 𝒍𝒎𝒅 = 51.5.

Step 5. Find the < 𝑐𝑓 of the class preceding/before the median class.
The < 𝑐𝑓 of the median class is 27, so the value of < 𝒄𝒇𝒃 is 19.

Step 6. Determine the frequency of the median class and the class size.
These are: 𝒇𝒎𝒅 = 8 and 𝒄 = 7.

Step 7. Substitute these values in the formula and compute the median.

Summary of values: 𝒏
− < 𝑐𝒇𝒃
𝒎𝒅 = 𝒍𝒎𝒅 + (𝟐 )𝒄
median class: 52-58 𝒇𝒎𝒅

𝑛 𝟐𝟓 − 𝟏𝟗
= 25 𝒎𝒅= 𝟓𝟏. 𝟓 + ( )𝟕
2 𝟖
𝑙𝑚𝑑 = 51.5
< 𝑐𝑓𝑏 = 19 𝟔
𝒎𝒅= 𝟓𝟏. 𝟓 + (𝟖)𝟕
𝑓𝑚𝑑 = 8
𝑐=7
𝒎𝒅 = 𝟓𝟔. 𝟕𝟓

Interpretation: Of the fifty students who took the test in Statistics, half of them
got scores lower than 56.75, while the other half scored higher than 56.75.
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3. The Mode

The formula for solving the mode of grouped data is:

𝑓𝑚𝑜 − 𝑓1 Formula 5
𝑚𝑜 = 𝑙𝑚𝑜 + ( )𝑐
2𝑓𝑚𝑜 − 𝑓1 − 𝑓2

where:
𝑙𝑚𝑜 = lower boundary of the modal class
𝑓𝑚𝑜 = frequency of the modal class
𝑓1 = frequency before the modal class
𝑓2 = frequency after the modal class
𝑐 = class size

Table 5
Frequency Distribution of 50 Test Scores in Statistics

Class Class Class Cumulative

Frequency Marks
Intervals Boundaries 𝑓𝑋𝑖 Frequency
𝑓
LL - UL LB - UB 𝑋𝑖 < 𝑐𝑓
24 – 30 23.5 - 30.5 3 27 81 3
31 – 37 30.5 - 37.5 3 34 102 6
38 – 44 37.5 - 44.5 6 41 246 12
45 – 51 44.5 - 51.5 7 48 336 19
52 – 58 51.5 - 58.5 8 f1 55 440 27
59 – 65 lmo58.5 - 65.5 9fmo 62 558 36
66 – 72 65.5 - 72.5 3 f2 69 207 39
73 – 79 72.5 - 79.5 6 76 456 45
80 – 86 79.5 - 86.5 3 83 249 48
87 - 93 86.5 - 93.5 2 90 180 50
𝑐=7 𝑛= 50 𝚺𝐟𝐗𝐢 = 𝟐𝟖𝟓𝟓

Steps in calculating the mode:

Step 1. Find the modal class.

Note: The modal class is the class with the highest frequency.

In Table 5, the highest frequency is 9. Therefore, 59 – 65 is the modal

class.

Step 2. Determine the lower boundary from the obtained modal class.
Since 59 - 65 is the modal class, 𝒍𝒎𝒐 = 58.5.
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Step 3. Determine 𝑓𝑚𝑜 , 𝑓1 , 𝑓2 , and 𝑐.

These are: 𝒇𝒎𝒐 = 9; 𝒇𝟏 = 8; 𝒇𝟐 = 3 and 𝒄 =7.

Step 4. Substitute these values in the formula and solve for the mode.

Summary of values:

modal class: 59 - 65 𝑓𝑚𝑜 − 𝑓1

𝑚𝑜 = 𝑙𝑚𝑜 + ( )𝑐
𝑙𝑚𝑜 = 58.5 2𝑓𝑚𝑜 − 𝑓1 − 𝑓2

𝑓𝑚𝑜 = 9 9−8
𝑚𝑜 = 58.5 + (2(9)−8−3) 7
𝑓1 = 8 1
𝑚𝑜 = 58.5 + (7) 7
𝑓2 = 3
𝑐=7 𝒎𝒐 = 𝟓𝟗. 𝟓

Interpretation: The most frequently occurring score in the distribution is 59.5.

Note: The median class may also be the modal class. After computing the median
and the mode, check if the computed values are within the median class and the modal
class.
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References

Mangaran, A. J. (2004) et al. Elementary Statistics. City of Malolos, Bulacan: Bulacan

State University.

Sirug, W.S. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World. Intramuros, Manila:

Mindshapes Co., Inc.

Zorilla, Roland, et.al. (2013) Statistics: Basic Concepts and Applications. Malabon
City, Philippines : MUTYA Publishing House.

Online Reference
Measures of Central Tendency. Laerd Statistics. Retrieved on July 8, 2022 from:
https://statistics.laerd.com/statistical-guides/measures-central-tendency-mean-mode-
median.php.