Averages: mean, median, mode and range

Recap of the ‘mean’

Mean……....add up the numbers and divide by the number of numbers………often called the average.

For example: the mean of 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 18, 22 is 7.5

because 3 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 18 + 22 = 60 (add up the numbers)

and 60 divided by 8 is 7.5 (divide by the number of numbers)

Hint: to divide by 8; divide number by 2, then by 2 again & then finally by 2 again. Why? Because 8 = 2 x 2 x 2

Recap of the ‘median’

Median…….this is the middle number when the numbers are placed in order of size.

For example: finding the median of 7, 3, 10, 5, 3, 8, 4 we first arrange them in order namely 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10

Next we identify the middle number.

The median of 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 is 5

because 5 is in the middle of 3, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10

Recap of the ‘median’

Median…….the middle number.

However, when the middle is shared between two values you need to ‘average’ the middle two values……

For example: the median of 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 7, 8, 8 is 3.5

because 3 & 4 are both sitting in the middle of

2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 7, 8, 8

and the ‘average’ of 3 & 4 is 3.5

(3+4 divided by 2)

Recap of the mode

Mode……..the number which occurs the most….the most frequently occurring number.

If there is no single number which occurs the most we say that there is no mode.

For example: There is no mode for the numbers 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 7, 8 because no single number appears more often than any other.

(Be careful not to say that the mode is 0 or zero, use the expression ‘no mode’.)

Recap of ‘the range’

Range = (highest value) minus (lowest value)

For example: the range of

3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 11 is 11-3 = 8

3 and 11 represent the extremes of 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 11

A common error or common misconception is to give the range as two values for example “3 to 11” or “3-11”. The range will always be a single number representing the width of the data.

Read through the information on the next slide carefully. It will be used for several questions.

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Table of pass rates in exams:

The table above shows the percentage of your class achieving ‘pass’ and above, in English, Mathematics and Science between 2005 and 2009.

We are going to use this data for a number of questions.

Year English Maths Science

2005 75% 71% 87%

2006 75% 73% 86%

2007 75% 87%

2008 77% 74% 86%

2009 79% 75% 86%

Mean 73.2% 86.4%

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Question on the ‘mean’:

Question:

What is the mean percentage of your class achieving ‘pass’ and above, for English for the five-year period 2005 to 2009?

Year English Maths Science

2005 75% 71% 87%

2006 75% 73% 86%

2007 75% 87%

2008 77% 74% 86%

2009 79% 75% 86%

Mean 73.2% 86.4%?

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Answer:

Question: What is the mean percentage of your class achieving ‘pass’ and above, for English for the five-year period 2005 to 2009?

Answer: 76.2% (75+75+75+77+79)/5 or 381 divided by 5

Do you know what a mean is?

Year English Maths Science

2005 75% 71% 87%

2006 75% 73% 86%

2007 75% 87%

2008 77% 74% 86%

2009 79% 75% 86%

Mean 76.2% 73.2% 86.4%

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Question using the ‘mean’:

Question:

What percentage achieved ‘pass’ in Maths in 2007?

Year English Maths Science

2005 75% 71% 87%

2006 75% 73% 86%

2007 75% 87%

2008 77% 74% 86%

2009 79% 75% 86%

Mean 73.2% 86.4%

?

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Answer:

Question: What percentage achieved ‘pass’ in Maths in 2007?

Answer: 73% (73.2 x 5=366 71+73+74+75=293 & 366-293=73)

Year English Maths Science

2005 75 71 87

2006 75 73 86

2007 75 73 87

2008 77 74 86

2009 79 75 86

Mean 73.2 86.4

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Question on the ‘mode’:

Question:

What is the modal Science mark for the five year period?

Year English Maths Science

2005 75% 71% 87%

2006 75% 73% 86%

2007 75% 87%

2008 77% 74% 86%

2009 79% 75% 86%

Mean 73.2% 86.4%

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Answer:

Question:

What is the modal Science mark for the five year period?

Answer 86% Because 86 occurs the most frequently

Year English Maths Science

2005 75% 71% 87%

2006 75% 73% 86%

2007 75% 87%

2008 77% 74% 86%

2009 79% 75% 86%

Mean 73.2% 86.4%

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Question on the ‘median’:

Question:

What is the median Science mark for the five year period?

Year English Maths Science

2005 75% 71% 87%

2006 75% 73% 86%

2007 75% 87%

2008 77% 74% 86%

2009 79% 75% 86%

Mean 73.2% 86.4%

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Answer:

Question: What is the median Science mark for the five year period?

Answer: 86% arrange 87,86,87,86,86 in order of size 86,86,86,87,87 (Find the middle ↑ data point.)

Year English Maths Science

2005 755 71% 87%

2006 75% 73% 86%

2007 75% 87%

2008 77% 74% 86%

2009 79% 75% 86%

Mean 73.2% 86.4%

For suggested resources on mean, median, mode and range, please see

the next slides.

Explanations of mean, median, mode and range

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81zcjULlh58

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uydzT_WiRz4 (set to music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY66ImqDwcA (from start of video to 05.10 min point only)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=k3aKKasOmIw

Need more explanations?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers/ks2_activities/maths/mode_median_mean.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/maths/data/mode_median_mean_range/play/ with practice activities!

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/book8/bk8i5/bk8_5i2.htm worksheet

http://www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/vol8/mean.html - mean

http://www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/vol8/median.html - median

http://www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/vol8/mode.html - mode

http://www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/vol8/range.html - range

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/probability/descriptive-statistics/central_tendency/e/mean_median_and_mode

http://www.quia.com/rr/51667.html

Need more practice?

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You can suggest additional resources by adding a comment below our ‘Making it

add up’ blog post.

Good luck! 20