Chapter 2A Data Description (A)

Measures of Central Tendency

➢ Mean

1) For raw data

∑𝑥
Mean, 𝑥̅ = 𝑛

where ∑ 𝑥 = the sum of all values

𝑛 = the sample size

Eg 1: Listed below are the volumes (in ounces) of the coke in

five different cans. Find the mean for this sample.
12.3 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.2
∑𝑥 61.1
Mean = = = 12.22 oz
𝑛 5

On average, the volumes of the coke in five different

cans are 12.22 ounces.

Eg 2: The following are the ages of all eight employees of a

small company.
53 32 66 27 39 44 49 57
Find the mean age of these employees.
∑𝑥 367 On average, the ages are 45.875 years old.
Mean = = = 45.875
𝑛 8

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2) For grouped data,

∑ 𝑓𝑥
Mean, 𝑥̅ = ∑𝑓
where 𝑥 = the midpoint

𝑓 = frequency of a class

Eg 3: The speeds, to the nearest mile per hour, of 120 vehicles

passing a check point were recorded and are grouped in
the table below:
Speed 21 – 25 26 – 30 31 – 35 36 – 45 46 – 60
(m.p.h.)
No. of 22 48 25 16 9
Vehicles
Estimate the mean of this distribution.
Solution:
Speed (m.p.h.) f x fx
21 – 25 22 23 506
26 – 30 48 28 1344
31 – 35 25 33 825
36 – 45 16 40.5 648
46 – 60 9 53 477
∑ 𝑓= 120 ∑ 𝑓𝑥= 3800
∑ 𝑓𝑥 3800
mean, 𝑥̅ = ∑𝑓
= = 31.67
120

On average, the speeds of 120 vehicles are 31.67 m.p.h.

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Eg 4: The following frequency distribution shows the daily
production level. Calculate the arithmetic mean.
Production (units) No. of days, f
13 – 17 2
18 – 22 22
23 – 27 10
28 – 32 14
33 – 37 3
38 – 42 4
43 – 47 6
48 – 52 1
Solution:
Production f Class fx
(units) midpoint, x
13 – 17 2 15 30
18 – 22 22 20 440
23 – 27 10 25 250
28 – 32 14 30 420
33 – 37 3 35 105
38 – 42 4 40 160
43 – 47 6 45 270
48 – 52 1 50 50
Total 62 1725
∑ 𝑓𝑥 1725
mean, 𝑥̅ = ∑𝑓
= = 27.82  28
62

The average daily production is 28 units.

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 ➢ Median (middle term)
1) For raw data
𝑛+1
Median = value of the ( ) 𝑡ℎ in a ranked data set
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❖ If the number of observation in a data set is odd, then the

median is given by the value of the middle term in the
ranked data.
❖ If the number of observation is even, then the median is
given by the average of the values of the two middle terms.

Eg 5: The following data give the weight lost (in pounds) by a

sample of the numbers of a health club at the end of two
months of membership.
10 5 19 8 3
Find the median.
3 5 8 10 19
Median = 8 ≥
Half
50% of the weight loss is more than or equal to 8 pounds,
another 50% of the weight loss is less than or equal to 8 pounds.
Another half ≤

Eg 6: Find the median of the following salaries (in millions of

dollars) paid to female executives (based on data from
Working Woman Magazine).
6.72 3.46 3.60 6.44
Half of the salaries are ≥
3.46 3.60 6.44 6.72 5.02($millions), another half
are ≤ 5.02 ($millions).
3.60+6.44
Median = = 5.02 ($millions)
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2) For grouped data
Two methods:
𝑛
a) By Ogive: Median: Q2 = 2 th
cf

𝑛
2

Value
Median

b) By calculation (Interpolation linear formula),

𝑐 𝑛
median = 𝐿𝑚 + 𝑓𝑚 [2 − ∑ 𝑓𝑚−1 ]
𝑚

where 𝐿𝑚 = lower class boundary of class median

𝑐𝑚 = class size of class median
𝑓𝑚 = frequency of class median
∑ 𝑓𝑚−1 = cumulative frequency of class
before class median

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 Eg 7: The following table shows the lengths of metal pipes
produced on a particular day. Calculate the median
length.
Length (cm) No. of metal pipes
10 – under 20 3
20 – under 30 7
30 – under 40 10
40 – under 50 16
50 – under 60 34
60 – under 70 13
70 – under 80 7
80 – under 90 6
90 – under 100 4
Total 100

Solution:
Length (cm) f cf
10 – under 20 3 3
20 – under 30 7 10
30 – under 40 10 20
40 – under 50 16 36
Class median
50 – under 60 34 70
60 – under 70 13 83
70 – under 80 7 90
80 – under 90 6 96
90 – under 4 100
100
Total 100

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 𝑛 100 Lm=50
Median = 2 th = th = 50th
2 Cm = 10 = 60-50
Median class boundaries: 50 – 60 fm = 34
𝑐 𝑛 fm-1=36
Median = 𝐿𝑚 + 𝑓𝑚 [2 − ∑ 𝑓𝑚−1 ]
𝑚
10
= 50 + 34 [50 − 36] = 54.12
Interpretation: 50% of the metal pipes are having lengths less
than or equal to 51.42 cm and the other 50% are
having lengths more than or equal to 51.42
cm.

Eg 8: The following frequency distribution shows the daily

production level.
Production (units) No. of days
13 – 17 2
18 – 22 22
23 – 27 10
28 – 32 14
33 – 37 3
38 – 42 4
43 – 47 6
48 – 52 1

Find the median using

a) calculation/ the linear interpolation method,
b) an ogive.

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Solution:
a)
Production f Class cf
(units) boundaries
13 – 17 2 12.5 – 17.5 2
18 – 22 22 17.5 – 22.5 24
23 – 27 10 22.5 – 27.5 34
28 – 32 14 27.5 – 32.5 48
33 – 37 3 32.5 – 37.5 51
38 – 42 4 37.5 – 42.5 55
43 – 47 6 42.5 – 47.5 61
48 – 52 1 47.5 – 52.5 62
Total 62

Lm=22.5
𝑛 62
Median = 2 th = th = 31th Cm = 5
2
fm = 10
Median class boundaries: 22.5 – 27.5
fm-1=24
𝑐𝑚 𝑛
Median = 𝐿𝑚 + 𝑓 [2 − ∑ 𝑓𝑚−1 ]
𝑚
5
= 22.5 + 10 [31 − 24] = 26

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b)
`

ub cf
12.5 0
17.5 2
22.5 24
27.5 34
32.5 48
37.5 51
42.5 55
47.5 61
52.5 62

From Ogive,
62
Median = 𝑡ℎ =26
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➢ Mode (modal)
1) For raw data
✓ The mode is the value that occurs with the highest
frequency in a data set.
Eg 9: The following data shows the number of children in 8
families:
2, 2, 3, 4, 0, 6, 2, 1
Find the mode.
Solution: Mode = 2
Interpretation: Most of the families having 2 children.
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Eg 10: Find the mode for the following data.
a) 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9
b) 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 8
Solution: a) mode = none
b) mode = 2, 5

2) For grouped data If class sizes are unequal, do the adjusted

frequency, when u want to find mode from the
graph.
Two methods:
By calculation, u have to use adjusted frequency
a) By Histogram to find mode.

Value
Mode
b) By calculation
𝑓𝑚 −𝑓𝑏
mode = 𝐿𝑚 + 2𝑓 × 𝑐𝑚
𝑚 −(𝑓𝑏 +𝑓𝑎 )

where 𝑓𝑚 = modal class frequency

𝑓𝑎 = “after” class frequency
𝑓𝑏 = “before” class frequency
𝐿𝑚 = lower boundary of modal class
𝑐𝑚 = class size of modal class

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 Note: If the formula is used to compute the mode for frequency
distribution of unequal class size, then the frequency will
be replaced by the adjusted frequency of the
corresponding class.

Eg 11: The following frequency distribution shows the daily

production level.
Length (cm) No. of metal
pipes
10 – under 20 3
20 – under 30 7 Lm=50
30 – under 40 10 fm=34
40 – under 50 16 fb=16
Modal class
50 – under 60 34 fa=13
60 – under 70 13 cm=10
70 – under 80 7
80 – under 90 6
Find the mode for the frequency distribution using
a) histogram, b) formula.
Solution:
a)

From histogram,
Mode = 54.5

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b) Modal class boundaries: 50 - 60 Lm=50

𝑓𝑚 −𝑓𝑏 fm=34
Mode = 𝐿𝑚 + 2𝑓 × 𝑐𝑚
𝑚 −(𝑓𝑏 +𝑓𝑎 ) fb=16
34−16 fa=13
= 50 + 2(34)−(16+13) × 10
cm=10

= 54.62
Interpretation: Most of the metal pipes are having lengths
54.62 cm.
Advantages and disadvantages of mean, median and mode
Mean
Advantages:
• It is easily understood.
• The value of each item is included in the computation.
Thus, it has the kind of exactness that the median and the
mode lack of.
• It is well suited for further analysis.

Disadvantages:
• Its value may not correspond to the actual value, eg. the
average number of children in each family is 2.4
children.
• It may be distorted by a few extremely high or low
values, eg. a distribution of 5 persons’ income (in RM)
500, 200, 250, 300, 6000
x = 7250
7250
Mean = = 1450 (RM)
5

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 The mean is now distorted or pulled up by one person’s
income of RM6,000 (the extreme value). The majority is
only earning between RM200 to RM500. The mean
income of RM1450 is misleading.

Median
Advantages:
• It is of use where the middle value is of significance.
• It is not affected by extreme values. Thus, it is usually
preferred than mean when there are extreme values in the
distribution.

Disadvantages:
• It does not reflect the full range of values.
• It is not suitable for further analysis.

Mode
Advantages:
• It is the more appropriate average in situations where it is
useful to know the most common value, eg. the
purchasing department in a shoe store will order the
modal shoe size.
• It is easy to find and is not influenced by extreme values.

Disadvantages:
• It ignores the dispersion around the modal value.

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• It is not suitable for further analysis.
• It is not unique.

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Using scientific calculator: CASIO fx-570MS

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