Mean, Median, Mode, and Range

Dr. Craig Waddell

Measures of Central Tendency

Circle the measures of central tendency below. (Hint: There are only 3 measures of central tendency.)

Mean

Median

Mode

Range

What’s an outlier?

outlier

out-   �pref.  In a way that surpasses, exceeds, or goes beyond: outdistance.�

-er   �suff. One that undergoes a specified action: broiler.

lie �verb.  to be found or located in a particular area or place: The fault lies here.

–noun 1. a person or thing that lies outside.

number

Find the outlier(s)

1. 12, 22, 40, 17, 29, 72, 38
2. 90, 80, 75, 7, 67, 82
3. 101, 210, 184, 18, 156, 989, 204

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Matching!

Mean

Range

Mode

Median

Middle

Most

Difference

Average

Problem 1

Mean = 10

Median = 10

Mode = none

Range = 8

Find the mean, median, mode, and range

Snowfall in Inches

​

​

2 6 5 4

3 0 1

​

​

​

Problem 2

Find the mean, median, mode, and range

• Quiz Grades�72 60 80 68

72 86

Problem 3

Find the mean, median, mode, and range

Problem 3

Problem 4

Problem 4

Mean = 30

Median = 12

Mode = 10

If I said to you, “The average pay at this company is $30 an hour”

Would you work here?

What if I said, “The average pay at this company is $12 an hour” ….

Would you work here?

What if I said, “The average pay at this company is $10 an hour” ….

Would you work here?

One outlier can really change the mean

But it has no effect on the mode or the median

Summary of the Measures of Central Tendency

Measures of Central Tendency

Best used to describe data when…

Mean

Median

Mode

The data has no outliers

The data has outliers

The data has many repeated numbers