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1 Definition of Mean:
The mean, often referred to as the average, is a measure of central tendency used in statistics to
describe the average value of a set of numbers. It is calculated by adding up all the values in a
dataset and then dividing the sum by the total number of values in thedataset. The formula for
calculating the mean for a dataset of "n" values is:

( )

2. Calculation of mean
2.1 Formula of mean for individual series
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2.2 Formula of mean for frequencial/grouped series
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2.3 Formula of mean by assumed mean

∑ ( )
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2.4 Mean through step-deviation

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Merits of Mean Demerits of Mean
1. Reflects the Central Tendency: The mean provides 1. Sensitive to Outliers: The mean is highly influenced
a representative value that reflects the center of the by extreme values (outliers), which can distort its
data distribution. accuracy as a measure of central tendency.
1. Sensitive to Outliers: The mean is highly influenced 1. Sensitive to Outliers: The mean is highly influenced
by extreme values (outliers), which can distort its by extreme values (outliers), which can distort its
accuracy as a measure of central tendency. accuracy as a measure of central tendency.
3. Allows for Arithmetic Operations: The mean is 3. Limited Applicability in Ordinal Data: In cases of
suitable for performing arithmetic operations, ordinal or categorical data, using the mean is often
making it valuable in various statistical calculations. not meaningful or appropriate.

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EXPERIMENT 1
Title: Calculating the Mean for Discrete Data

Objective: The objective of this practical example is to demonstrate how to calculate the mean
(average) for a set of discrete data points. We will use a simple dataset to illustrate the step-by-step
process

Data: Let's consider the following dataset representing the number of hours students in a class
spent studying for an upcoming math exam.
Student Study Hours
A 3
B 4
C 2
D 5
E 3

Calculation:

Step 1: Sum of Data

Add up all the data points to find the sum.

Sum = 3 + 4 + 2 + 5 + 3 = 17

Step 2: Number of Data Points

Count the number of data points in the dataset. In this case, there are 5 students.

Step 3: Calculate the Mean (Average)

Result:

So, the mean study hours for these students is 3.4 hours.

Interpretation: On average, the students in the class spent approximately 3.4 hours studying for the
math exam. This mean value provides a central measure of the data set's tendency and helps us
understand the typical amount of time spent studying by the students in the class.

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Experiment 2
Title :

Calculating the Mean for Discrete Data with Frequency

Objective :

In this practical example, we will demonstrate how to calculate the mean (average) for discrete
data with frequency. This approach is useful when you have data points with corresponding
frequencies, and we'll calculate the weighted mean using these frequencies.

Data :

Let's consider a dataset representing the ages of participants in a survey along with their
frequencies.

Age Frequency

20 4

25 8

30 6

35 3

40 2

Calculation:

Step 1: Calculate the Weighted Sum

Multiply each data point by its corresponding frequency and then sum these products.

Weighted Sum = (20 4) + (25 8) + (30 6) + (35 3) + (40 2)

= 272 + 200 + 180 + 105 + 80

= 837

Step 2: Calculate the Total Frequency

Sum up all the frequencies to find the total number of data points.

Total Frequency = 4 + 8 + 6 + 3 + 2 = 23

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Step 3: Calculate the Mean (Weighted Average)

Result :

So the mean age of the survey participants, taking into account their frequencies, is approximately
36.39 years.

Interpretation:

The weighted mean provides a more accurate representation of the central tendency of the data,
considering that some age groups were more heavily represented in the survey. It reflects the
average age of the surveyed participants while accounting for the frequencies of each age group.

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Experiment 3
Title:

Calculating the Mean for Grouped Data

Objective:

This practical example aims to demonstrate how to calculate the mean (average) for grouped data.
Grouped data is a way to represent data with large ranges by grouping them into intervals or
classes. We will use a simple grouped dataset to illustrate the step-by-step process.

Data: Let's consider a dataset representing the exam scores of students in a class, grouped into score
intervals (classes) and their corresponding frequencies.

Score Interval Frequency

0 - 10 5

10 - 20 12

20 - 30 18

30 - 40 10

40 - 50 5

Calculation:

Step 1: Midpoint of Each Class

Calculate the midpoint of each score interval by taking the average of the lower and upper
boundaries of each class.

Score Interval Midpoint Frequency

0 - 10 5 5

10 - 20 15 12

20 - 30 25 18

30 - 40 35 10

40 - 50 45 5

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Step 2: Calculate the Weighted Sum

Multiply the midpoint of each class by its corresponding frequency and then sum these products.

Weighted Sum = (5 5) + (15 12) + (25 18) + (35 10) + (45 5)

25 + 180 + 450 + 350 + 225

1230

Step 3: Calculate the Total Frequency

Sum up all the frequencies to find the total number of data points.

Total Frequency = 5 + 12 + 18 + 10 + 5 = 50

Step 4: Calculate the Mean (Weighted Average)

Result

So, the mean exam score for the students, considering the grouped data, is 24.6.

Interpretation: The weighted mean in the context of grouped data provides an estimate of the
central tendency of the dataset while taking into account the frequencies of each score interval. In
this example, the mean score is approximately 24.6, which represents the average performance of
the students in the class.

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