Median, Mean, Mode, Range

Mean, Median, Mode, and Range

Mean

The mean is the mathematical term for what is commonly known as the ‘average’.
To calculate the mean, add up all of the numbers and then divide by the count of those numbers.
For example, for the set {5, 10, 15, 20}, the mean is (5 + 10 + 15 + 20) ÷ 4 = 12.5.

Median

The median is the middle number in a set when the numbers are arranged in ascending order.
If there is an even amount of numbers, the median is the average (mean) of the two middle numbers.
For example, in the set {5, 10, 15, 20}, the median is (10 + 15) ÷ 2 = 12.5.

Mode

The mode is the number that appears most frequently in a set.
A set may have more than one mode (bimodal), or no mode at all.
For example, in the set {1, 2, 2, 3, 4}, the mode is 2, since it appears more than any other number.

Range

The range describes the spread of numbers in a set.
It is calculated by subtracting the smallest number from the largest number in the set.
For example, in the set {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}, the range is 5 - 1 = 4.

Understanding and Utilising These Terms

The mean, median, and mode are measures of central tendency - they help identify the centre point or typical value of a set.
The range, on the other hand, measures spread or variability in the set of data.
Using these measures can help make sense of data and provide useful statistical information.
It’s important to understand when each measure is most appropriate to use, depending on the nature of the data and what information you want to deduce from it.