Measures of Central Tendency

Measures of central tendency are statistical measures that provide information about the center or
typical value of a dataset. They summarize the data by indicating where the values tend to cluster
around. The three commonly used measures of central tendency are:

 Mean: The mean, also known as the average, is calculated by summing up all the values in a
dataset and dividing it by the total number of values. It is sensitive to extreme values and can be
influenced by outliers.
 Median: The median is the middle value in a dataset when the values are arranged in ascending
or descending order. If there is an even number of values, the median is the average of the two
middle values. The median is less affected by outliers and extreme values compared to the
mean.
 Mode: The mode is the most frequently occurring value in a dataset. It represents the value(s)
that appear with the highest frequency. A dataset can have no mode (when no value is
repeated) or multiple modes (when multiple values have the same highest frequency).

These measures provide different perspectives on the central tendency of a dataset and are used to
understand the typical value or the center of the distribution. They are commonly used in various fields
such as statistics, data analysis, and research to summarize and describe datasets.

Mean

Let's say we have a dataset of five numbers: 4, 6, 2, 9, and 5. We can calculate the mean by summing up
all the values and dividing the sum by the total number of values (which is 5 in this case):

Mean = (4 + 6 + 2 + 9 + 5) / 5

Mean = 26 / 5

Mean = 5.2

Therefore, the mean of this dataset is 5.2.

Median

To find the sample median, we need a dataset with a set of numbers. Let's consider the following
dataset: 8, 3, 5, 2, 9, 1, 7.

To find the median, we first need to arrange the numbers in ascending order:

1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9

Since the dataset has an odd number of values (7 in this case), the median is the middle value. In this
case, the middle value is 5.

Therefore, the sample median of this dataset is 5.

Mode

Let's consider a dataset of numbers: 2, 5, 4, 6, 3, 5, 2, 8, 5, 2.

To find the mode, we need to determine the value(s) that appear with the highest frequency. By
examining the dataset, we can see that the number 2 appears three times, the number 5 appears three
times, and all other numbers appear only once.
Since the numbers 2 and 5 have the highest frequency of occurrence (three times each), this dataset has
multiple modes. Therefore, the modes of this dataset are 2 and 5.

FRACTILES

Fractiles, or more commonly referred to as quantiles, are statistical measures that divide a dataset into
equal-sized subsets. They provide information about the relative position of values within a dataset. The
most commonly used quantiles are:

 Median (or 50th percentile): The median is the value that separates the dataset into two equal
halves. It is the 50th percentile, meaning that 50% of the values are below the median and 50%
are above it.
 Quartiles: Quartiles divide the dataset into four equal parts. The first quartile (Q1) is the value
below which 25% of the data falls. The second quartile (Q2) is the same as the median. The third
quartile (Q3) is the value below which 75% of the data falls.
 Percentiles: Percentiles divide the dataset into 100 equal parts. For example, the 25th percentile
(P25) is the value below which 25% of the data falls, and the 75th percentile (P75) is the value
below which 75% of the data falls.

These quantiles help us understand the distribution and spread of data. They are particularly useful
when analyzing skewed or non-normal distributions, as they provide insights into the relative position of
values and the spread of the data across different percentiles.

Percentile

Here are a few examples of percentiles:

Let's say we have a dataset of 100 scores on a test. The 90th percentile would represent the value below
which 90% of the scores fall. If the 90th percentile is 85, it means that 90% of the scores are below 85,
and only 10% of the scores are equal to or higher than 85.

Suppose we have a dataset of 200 salaries. The 75th percentile of the salaries would indicate the value
below which 75% of the salaries fall. If the 75th percentile is $60,000, it means that 75% of the salaries
are below $60,000, and only 25% of the salaries are equal to or higher than $60,000.

Consider a dataset of 500 heights of individuals. The 95th percentile of the heights would represent the
value below which 95% of the heights fall. If the 95th percentile is 180 cm, it means that 95% of the
heights are below 180 cm, and only 5% of the heights are equal to or taller than 180 cm.

Percentiles allow us to understand how individual data points relate to the rest of the dataset and
provide insights into the distribution of values across different levels.
Formula for Mean

The formula for calculating the mean (or average) of a dataset is as follows:

Mean = (Sum of all values) / (Number of values)

In mathematical notation, if we have a dataset with n values, denoted as x₁, x₂, x₃, ..., x ₙ, then the mean
(μ) is calculated as:

μ = (x₁ + x₂ + x₃ + ... + xₙ) / n

In this formula, we add up all the values in the dataset and divide the sum by the total number of values
to find the mean. It provides a measure of central tendency that represents the typical or average value
of the dataset.

More sample of Mean

Here are a few more examples of calculating the mean:

Example 1: Consider the following dataset of test scores: 85, 90, 92, 88, 95. To find the mean, we add up
all the values and divide by the total number of values (which is 5 in this case):

Mean = (85 + 90 + 92 + 88 + 95) / 5

Mean = 450 / 5

Mean = 90

Therefore, the mean of this dataset is 90.

Example 2: Suppose we have a dataset representing the monthly sales of a company over four months:
$5000, $7000, $6000, $8000. To find the mean, we add up all the values and divide by the total number
of values (which is 4 in this case):

Mean = ($5000 + $7000 + $6000 + $8000) / 4

Mean = $26000 / 4

Mean = $6500

Therefore, the mean of this dataset is $6500.

Example 3: Let's consider a dataset of ages: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55. To find the mean, we add up all
the values and divide by the total number of values (which is 7 in this case):

Mean = (25 + 30 + 35 + 40 + 45 + 50 + 55) / 7

Mean = 280 / 7

Mean = 40

Therefore, the mean of this dataset is 40.

More details on the meaning of measures of central tendency

Certainly! Measures of central tendency provide information about the center or typical value of a
dataset. They help summarize and describe the data by indicating where the values tend to cluster
around. Here are more details on the meaning of each measure of central tendency:

Mean:

The mean is the most commonly used measure of central tendency.

It is calculated by summing up all the values in a dataset and dividing by the total number of values.

The mean represents the arithmetic average of the dataset.

It considers all the values in the dataset, giving equal weight to each value.

The mean is sensitive to extreme values (outliers) since it takes into account every value when
calculating the average.

Median:

The median is the middle value in a dataset when the values are arranged in ascending or descending
order.

It divides the dataset into two equal halves.

The median is less affected by extreme values compared to the mean.

It is particularly useful when the dataset contains outliers or is skewed.

If the dataset has an even number of values, the median is the average of the two middle values.

Mode:

The mode is the value(s) that appear with the highest frequency in a dataset.

It represents the most commonly occurring value(s).

A dataset can have no mode (when no value is repeated), or multiple modes (when multiple values have
the same highest frequency).

The mode is useful for identifying the most typical value(s) in a dataset.

It can be used with both numerical and categorical data.

These measures provide different perspectives on the central tendency of a dataset and help in
understanding the typical value or the center of the distribution. Depending on the nature of the data
and the analysis being conducted, different measures of central tendency may be appropriate to use. It
is essential to consider the characteristics of the dataset and the research objectives when interpreting
and utilizing these measures.
What is Central tendency?

Central tendency refers to the statistical concept that describes the center or typical value around which
data points tend to cluster. It provides a summary of the central location of a dataset. Measures of
central tendency, such as the mean, median, and mode, are used to quantify and represent this central
tendency.

The central tendency is important because it helps us understand the most representative or typical
value in a dataset. It provides a summary or average value that can be used to describe the overall
characteristics of the data distribution. By knowing the central tendency, we can gain insights into the
center or focus of the data, which can be useful for making comparisons, understanding patterns, and
making predictions.

Different measures of central tendency are appropriate in different situations, depending on the nature
of the data and the specific research question or analysis being conducted. The mean is commonly used
when dealing with numerical data and assumes that the values are evenly distributed. The median is
often used when there are outliers or when the data is skewed. The mode is useful for identifying the
most frequently occurring value(s) in a dataset, whether numerical or categorical.

Overall, central tendency provides a way to summarize and understand the central or typical value of a
dataset, which aids in data analysis, interpretation, and decision-making.