UNIT 3

MEASURES OF
CENTRAL
TENDENCY
1

OBJECTIVES :
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to
:
Define the Central Tendency measurement
Calculate the measure of central tendency for
ungrouped data using the mean, median,
mode quartiles, percentiles and deciles.
Calculate the measure of central tendency for
grouped data using the mean, median, mode
quartiles, percentiles and deciles.
Determine the empirical relationship between
mean, median and mode
2

Introduction

The measure of central tendency is

usually called the average. Central

tendency is a single value situated
at the center of a data and can be
taken as a summary value for that
data set.
Three types of averages are often
used as measures of central
tendency. They are mean, median
and mode.
3

Introduction

A) Mean
It is the average of a group of data.
That is computed by taking the sum of all
data values and then dividing it by the
number of data.
For example, if the statistics test scores of
five students are 70,80,60,90, and 50, then
the mean score of the statistics test for five
students is ( 70 + 80 + 60 + 90 + 50 )/ 5 =
70.

B) Median
Introduction
Is value that list in the center of the data.
To determine the median, one has to
arrange the data in ascending or descending
order and then select the central value of
the data as the median.
Using the data supplied earlier and
arranging the data in ascending order we
obtain 50, 60, 70, 80, 90. The center value is
70 and we conclude that the median is 70.

C)
Mode
Introduction
Value of data with the highest
frequency in a data set.
For example : If the data set is
50, 60, 70, 70, 70, 80, 90, 90,
then the mode is 70 because it
occurs most Frequently (three
times) in the data set.
6

Mean (for ungrouped

data)
Sum of all values of data , x
Mean, x
Number of data, n

Example 1 :

The data below shows the monthly wages in RM of

ten factory workers. Calculate the value of mean
500, 450, 400, 380,360,420,470, 390, 460, 500
solutio

n:

x
Mean, x
n
4330

10
= 433

data)
Example 1 :

n 1
Median
2

The data below shows the monthly wages in

RM of ten factory workers. Calculate the
value of Median
450, 400, 380,360,420,470, 390, 460,
500,
solutio
500 450, 460,470, 500,
n : 380, 390, 400, 420,
360,
n 1
500
Median
2
11

2
5.5 (Location)

420 450 870

Median

435(value of median)
2
2

data)
Mode : Value of data with the highest frequency in a data set.

Example 1 :

The data below shows the monthly wages in

RM of ten factory workers. Calculate the
value of Mode
500,
450, 400, 380,360,420,470, 390, 460,
solutio
500 450, 460,470, 500,
360,
n : 380, 390, 400, 420,
500 is 500
The value of mode

Mean (for grouped data)

3 method to find the value of

mean
i)Basic Mean
ii)Estimate Mean
iii)Coding mean
These 3 methods will give same
answer even though they are
different from each other
10

1) BASIC MEAN
Sum of ( frequency x midpoint)
Mean, x
Total of frequency
fx

Mean, x
f

Class interval
0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34

11

f
2
4
6
8
4
2
4

2) ESTIMATE MEAN
fd

Mean, x A
f

Where :
A = Estimate (any value of midpoint)
f = Frequency
d = x A ( differentiate between midpoint and estimate mean, A)

12

Class
interval
0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34

f
2
4
6
8
4
2
4

3) CODING MEAN
fu
Mean, x A
xC
f

Where :
A =
f =
u =

13

Estimate (any value of midpoint), C = class interval

Frequency

x A
C

MEDIAN
Step 1

:Add a column for the cumulative frequency and

Location of data in frequency distribution table.
Step 2
: Determine the position of median in the class
intervals using
the Median Class Median Class f
2

Step 3 : The value of median is calculate as follows

f
2

fm

fm

~
Median, x Lm

xC

Where :
Lm = Lower boundary of the median class
f = Sum of frequency
f= Cumulative frequency before the median class
fm = Frequency of the median class
14
C = Size of the Class Interval
m

Example 21 : (Page 38)

The table below shows the years of working experience for 120 employee of
Jimmys Company. Calculate the value of median using the formula.

Years of Number of
experien employee,
ce
f
1-4
5-8
9-12
13-16
17-20
21-24
25-28

15