Measures of Central

Tendency: Mean, Mode,

Median

By
Soumendra Roy
 Introduction:
 Measures of central tendency are statistical measures
which describe the position of a distribution.
 They are also called statistics of location, and are the
complement of statistics of dispersion, which provide
information concerning the variance or distribution
of observations.
 In the univariate context, the mean, median and mode
are the most commonly used measures of central
tendency.
 computable values on a distribution that discuss the
behavior of the center of a distribution.
 Measures of Central Tendency
The value or the figure which represents the whole
series is neither the lowest value in the series nor the
highest it lies somewhere between these two extremes.
1. The average represents all the measurements made
on a group, and gives a concise description of the
group as a whole.
2. When two are more groups are measured, the
central tendency provides the basis of comparison
between them.
 Definition

Simpson and Kafka defined it as “ A measure of

central tendency is a typical value around which other
figures congregate”
Waugh has expressed “An average stand for the whole
group of which it forms a part yet represents the
whole”.
 1. Arithmetic Mean
Arithmetic mean is a mathematical average and it is
the most popular measures of central tendency. It is
frequently referred to as ‘mean’ it is obtained by
dividing sum of the values of all observations in a series
(ƩX) by the number of items (n) constituting the series.
Thus, mean of a set of numbers X1, X2, X3,
………..Xn denoted by x̅ and is defined as
Arithmetic Mean Calculated Methods :
• Direct Method :

• Short cut method :

• Step deviation Method :

 Example : Calculated the Arithmetic Mean
DIRC Monthly Users Statistics in the University
Library
Month No. of Total Users Average
Working Users per
Days month
Sep-2011 24 11618 484.08
Oct-2011 21 8857 421.76
Nov-2011 23 11459 498.22
Dec-2011 25 8841 353.64
Jan-2012 24 5478 228.25
Feb-2012 23 10811 470.04
Total 140 57064
= 407.6
 Advantages of Mean:
• It is easy to understand & simple calculate.
• It is based on all the values.
• It is rigidly defined .
• It is easy to understand the arithmetic
average even if some of the details of the
data are lacking.
• It is not based on the position in the series.
 Disadvantages of Mean:

• It is affected by extreme values.

• It cannot be calculated for open end classes.
• It cannot be located graphically
• It gives misleading conclusions.
• It has upward bias.
 Weighted Mean
• Weighted Mean is the mean of a set of values
wherein each value or measurement has a different
weight or degree of importance. The following is its
formula:
∑xw
x = ----------
∑w
Where x = mean
x = measurement or value
w = no. of measurements
 Example of Weighted Mean
• Below are Anil’s subjects and the corresponding number of units and grades he got
for the previous grading period. Compute his grade point average.

Subject Units Grade

Hindi 0.9 86
English 1.5 85
Mathematics 1.5 88
Science 1.8 87
Social Science 0.9 86
Computers 1.2 83
Physical Education 1.2 87
(0.9 x 86) + (1.5 x 85) + (1.5 x 88) + (1.8 x 87) + (0.9 x 86) + (1.2 x 83) + (1.2 x 87)
x= ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9
= 86.1
Anil’s average grade is 86.1
 Harmonic Mean
• Harmonic Mean is quotient of “number of the given values”
and “sum of the reciprocals of the given values”.
 For Ungrouped Data
n
H.M. of x = X = ---------
∑(1/x)
 For Grouped Data
∑f
H.M. of x = X = ---------
∑(f/x)
 Harmonic Mean Example
• Calculate the Harmonic Mean of the numbers: 13.2, 14.2,
14.8, 15.2 and 16.1.
Soln:
The harmonic mean is calculated as below:
n X 1/x

H.M. of X = X = ---------- 13.2 0.0758

∑(1/x) 14.2 0.0704

5 14.8 0.0676
H.M. of X = X = -------------- = 14.63 15.2 0.0658
0.3417
16.1 0.0621

Total ∑ (1/x) = 0.3147

• Example: Calculate the harmonic mean for the given
below information:
Marks 30 - 39 40 - 49 50 – 59 60 – 69 70 – 79 80 – 89 90 – 99
Frequency 2 3 11 20 32 25 7

Marks X f f/x
The H.M. is 30 – 39 34.5 2 0.0580
∑f 100
40 – 49 44.5 3 0.0674
X = --------------- = -------------
∑(f/x) 1.4368 50 – 59 54.5 11 0.2018

60 – 69 64.5 20 0.3101

= 69.60 70 – 79 74.5 32 0.4295

80 – 89 84.5 25 0.2959

90 – 99 94.5 7 0.0741

Total 100 1.4368

 Geometric Mean
• Geometric Mean is a kind of average of a set of numbers
that is different from the arithmetic mean.
• The geometric mean is well defined only for the set of
positive real numbers. This is calculated by multiplying all
the numbers (call the number of numbers n), and taking
the nth root of the total.
• A common example of where the geometric mean is the
correct choice is when averaging growth rates.
• The geometric mean is NOT the arithmetic mean and is not
a simple average.
• Mathematical definition: The nth root of the product of n
numbers.
 Formulas
• For Ungrouped Data:
logx
G = Anti (∑ --------)
n
• For Grouped Data

flogx
G = Anti (∑ ----------)
n
• Find the geometric mean of the following values: 15, 12,
13, 19, 10
Sol.
Here n = 5, ∑log x = 5.648 x Log x

∑log x 15 1.1761

As G = Anti(-----------) 12 1.0792

n 13 1.1139

5.648 19 1.2788

= Anti ( ------------) 10 1.0000

5 Total (∑log x) 5.648

= Anti (1.129)
= 13.48
 2.Median
Median is a central value of the distribution, or the
value which divides the distribution in equal parts,
each part containing equal number of items. Thus it is
the central value of the variable, when the values are
arranged in order of magnitude.

Connor has defined as “ The median is that value of

the variable which divides the group into two equal
parts, one part comprising of all values greater, and
the other, all values less than median”
Calculation of Median –Discrete series :

i. Arrange the data in ascending or descending

order.
ii. Calculate the cumulative frequencies.

iii. Apply the formula.

Calculation of median – Continuous series

For calculation of median in a continuous

frequency distribution the following formula
will be employed. Algebraically,
Example: Median of a set Grouped Data in a
Distribution of Respondents by age
Age Group Frequency of Cumulative
Median class(f) frequencies(cf)
0-20 15 15
20-40 32 47
40-60 54 101
60-80 30 131
80-100 19 150
Total 150 = N
Median (M)=40+

= 40+

= 40+0.52X20
= 40+10.37
= 50.37
 Advantages of Median:
• Median can be calculated in all distributions.

• Median can be understood even by common

people.

• Median can be ascertained even with the

extreme items.

• It can be located graphically

• It is most useful dealing with qualitative data

 Disadvantages of Median:
• It is not based on all the values.
• It is not capable of further mathematical treatment.

• It is affected fluctuation of sampling.

• In case of even no. of values it may not the value
from the data.
 3. Mode
•Mode is the most frequent value or score in the
distribution.
•It is defined as that value of the item in a series.
•It is denoted by the capital letter Z.
•highest point of the frequencies distribution curve .
 Croxton and Cowden : defined it as “the mode
of a distribution is the value at the point armed
with the item tend to most heavily concentrated.
It may be regarded as the most typical of a series
of value”

The exact value of mode can be obtained by the

following formula.

Z=L1+
Example: Calculate Mode for the distribution of
monthly rent Paid by Libraries in Karnataka

Monthly rent (Rs) Number of Libraries (f)

500-1000 5
1000-1500 10
1500-2000 8
2000-2500 16
2500-3000 14
3000 & Above 12
Total 65
Z=2000+

Z =2000+

Z=2000+0.8 ×500=400
Z=2400
 Advantages of Mode :
• Mode is readily comprehensible and easily
calculated
• It is the best representative of data
• It is not at all affected by extreme value.
• The value of mode can also be determined
graphically.
• It is usually an actual value of an important part
of the series.
 Disadvantages of Mode :
• It is not based on all observations.
• It is not capable of further mathematical
manipulation.
• Mode is affected to a great extent by
sampling fluctuations.
• Choice of grouping has great influence on the
value of mode.
 Conclusion

•  A measure of central tendency is a measure that

tells us where the middle of a bunch of data lies.

• Mean is the most common measure of central

tendency. It is simply the sum of the numbers
divided by the number of numbers in a set of
data. This is also known as average.
• Median is the number present in the middle when
the numbers in a set of data are arranged in
ascending or descending order. If the number of
numbers in a data set is even, then the median is
the mean of the two middle numbers.
• Mode is the value that occurs most frequently in a
set of data.
Thank You