Lesson 2.

1: MEASURE OF CENTRAL TENDENCY (Ungrouped Data)

Measure of Central Tendency or averages are measurements that tell us where the
middle of the data lies. The three most common measures of central tendency are the mean,
the median, and the mode.

a. Mean
The mean is the most common and stable/reliable measure of central tendency. Also
known as the arithmetic average.

• Steps in solving the mean value using the raw scores.

1. distribution.
2. Identify the number of scores.
3. Substitute to the given formula and solve the mean value.

Example: Find the mean of the scores of students in algebra quiz.

x – scores of students in algebra
45
35
∑𝑥
48 mean = 𝑛
485
60 = 10
44 = 48.5
39
47
55
58
54
∑𝑥 = 485

• Properties of Mean
1. Easy to compute
2. It may not be an actual observation in the data set.
3. It can be subjected to numerous mathematical computations.
4. Most widely used.
5. Each data contributes to the mean value.
6. It is easily affected by the extreme values.
7. Applied to internal level data.

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b. Median
The median is a point that divides the scores in a distribution into two equal parts
when the scores are arranged according to the magnitude, that is from lowest score to
highest score or highest score to lowest score. If the number of scores is an odd number, the
value of the median is the middle score. When the number of scores is an even number, the
median value is the average of the two middle most scores.
Example 1: Find the median of the scores of 10 students in algebra quiz.
x – scores of students in Algebra x
45 35
35 39
47+48
48 44 median = 2
60 45 = 47.5 is the med. score
44 47 50% of the scores in the
39 48 distribution falls below 47.5
47 54
55 55
58 58
54 60

Example 2: Find the median of the scores of 9 students in algebra quiz.

x – scores of students in algebra
35
39 The median value is the 5th score which is 47. Which means that
44 50% of the scores fall below 47.
45
47
48
54
55
58

• Properties of Median
1. It is not affected by extreme values
2. It is applied to ordinal level of data
3. The middle-most score in the distribution
4. Most appropriate when there are extreme scores

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 c. Mode
The mode refers to the score or scores that occurred most in the distribution. There
are classifications of mode:
a. Unimodal – consist of only one mode.
b. Bimodal – consist of two modes.
c. Trimodal – consist of three modes.
d. Multimodal – consist of two/three or more modes.

• Properties of Mode
1. It is the scores occurred most frequently
2. Nominal average
3. If can be used for qualitative and quantitative data
4. Not affected by extreme scores
5. It may not exist

Example 1: Find the mode of the scores Example 2: find the mode of the scores of
distribution in algebra quiz: students in algebra quiz:
34 34
36 36
45 45
65 61
34 34
45 45
55 55
61 61
34 34
46 45
Mode = 34. The distribution is called Modes = 34 and 45. Bimodal distribution.
unimodal.

Prepared by: Honey Laine Aripal Sotillo

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Exercises 2.1:

Name: ____________________________________ Section: ___________

Direction: Read carefully and encircle the letter of the best answer. For enumeration, write your
answer clearly. Erasure is not allowed.

1. The most stable measure of central tendency.

a. Mean c. Mode
b. Median d. Mean and median
2. This measure is best to use when there is/are extreme value/s in the distribution.
a. Mean c. Mode
b. Median d. Both median and mode
3. The least stable measure of central tendency.
a. Mean c. Mode
b. Median d. Mean and mode
4. In the given distribution: 3, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10, 10; what is the median?
a. 6 c. 3 and 7
b. 7 d. 6, 8, and 10
5. In the given distribution: 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9; what is/are the mode/s?
a. 3 and 9 c. 7
b. 4 d. 4 and 7
6. In the given distribution: 1, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9; what is mean?
a. 4.4 c. 6.6
b. 5.5 d. 7.7
7. What is the mode of the following scores: 90, 85, 96, 85, 93, 66, 85, 75, 90, 96, 93, 100?
a. 85 c. 93 and 85
b. 93 d. 85 and 90
8. Florante’s score in Mathematics quizzes are as follows: 90, 85, 70, 65, 99, 78. What is the
mean of these scores?
a. 65 c. 85.5
b. 99 d. 81.17
9. Which of the following is more affected by an extreme score?
a. Mean c. Mode
b. Median d. All of these.
10. You gave a 100-point test. Three students make scores of 95, 92, 91, respectively, while
the other 22 students in the class got scores ranging from 33 to 67. The measure of central
tendency which is apt to best describe for this group of 25 students is _______.
a. The mean c. An average of the mean and mode
b. The mode d. The median

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Lesson 2.2: Measure of Central Tendency (Grouped Data)
a. Mean
1. Classmark Formula
𝛴𝑓𝑥
𝑥̅ = , f is the frequency
𝑁
x is the class mark
N is the total frequency

Example: Below is a frequency distribution of the scores of 43 students. The first step is
to get the class mark, then get fx.

Scores f x fx
16 – 23 2 19.5 39 Substituting to the formula, we have
𝛴𝑓𝑥 1966.5
24 – 31 3 27.5 82.5 𝑥̅ = = = 45.7325
𝑁 43
32 – 39 6 35.5 213
40 – 47 12 43.5 522 Therefore, the mean is 45.73
48 – 55 10 51.5 515
56 – 63 10 59.5 595
N = 43 ∑𝑓𝑥 = 1966.5

2. Assumed Mean Method/Formula

𝛴𝑓𝑑
𝑥̅ = 𝑥0 + [ ] 𝑐ⅈ , where 𝑥0 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑓 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦
𝑁
𝑐ⅈ = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 ⅈ𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙 𝑁 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦
𝑑 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑑ⅈ𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒

Example: Below is a frequency distribution of the scores of 43 students. First step is to

select an assumed mean (𝑥0 ). In our example, assumed mean is 43.5.

Scores f x d fd
16 – 23 2 19.5 -3 -6 Substituting to the formula, we have
𝛴𝑓𝑑
24 – 31 3 27.5 -2 -6 𝑥̅ = 𝑥0 + [ ] 𝑐ⅈ
𝑁
32 – 39 6 35.5 -1 -6 12
𝑥̅ = 43.5 + [43] 8
40 – 47 12 43.5 0 0
𝑥̅ = 43.5 + 2.2325
48 – 55 10 51.5 1 10 𝑥̅ = 45.73255
56 – 63 10 59.5 2 20
N = 43 12 Therefore, the mean is 45.73

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b. Median

𝑁
−<𝑐𝑓
2
1. 𝑀 = 𝐿𝐿 + [ ] 𝑐ⅈ , where 𝐿𝐿 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝐿ⅈ𝑚ⅈ𝑡
𝑓𝑀

< 𝑐𝑓 = 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡ⅈ𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦

𝑐ⅈ = 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 ⅈ𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙
𝑓𝑀 = 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑑ⅈ𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠

Example:

Scores f x <cf Substituting to the formula, we have

𝑁
16 – 23 2 19.5 2 −<𝑐𝑓
𝑀 = 𝐿𝐿 + [ 2 𝑓 ] 𝑐ⅈ
24 – 31 3 27.5 5 𝑀
𝑁 43
32 – 39 6 35.5 11 = = 21.5
2 2
40 – 47 12 43.5 23 21.5 − 11
𝑀 = 39.5 + [ 12
]8
48 – 55 10 51.5 33 10.5
𝑀 = 39.5 + [ ]8
56 – 63 10 59.5 43 12
𝑀 = 39.5 + 7
N = 43
𝑀 = 46.5

Therefore, the median is 46.5

2. Another way to solve for its median is by using the Upper Limit instead.
𝑁
− >𝑐𝑓
2
𝑀 = 𝑈𝐿 − [ ] 𝑐ⅈ , where 𝐿𝐿 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑈𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝐿ⅈ𝑚ⅈ𝑡
𝑓𝑀

> 𝑐𝑓 = 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡ⅈ𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦

𝑐ⅈ = 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 ⅈ𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙
𝑓𝑀 = 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑑ⅈ𝑎𝑛 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠

Example:

Scores f x >cf Substituting to the formula, we have

𝑁
16 – 23 2 19.5 43 −<𝑐𝑓
𝑀 = 𝑈𝐿 − [ 2 𝑓 ] 𝑐ⅈ
24 – 31 3 27.5 41 𝑀
𝑁 43
32 – 39 6 35.5 38 = = 21.5
2 2
40 – 47 12 43.5 32 21.5 − 20
𝑀 = 47.5 − [ ]8
12
48 – 55 10 51.5 20 1.5
𝑀 = 47.5 − [ 12 ] 8
56 – 63 10 59.5 10
𝑀 = 47.5 − 1
N = 43
𝑀 = 46.5

c. Mode

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 𝛥1
1. 𝑀0 = 𝐿𝐿 + [𝛥 ] 𝑐ⅈ
1 +𝛥2

where : 𝛥1 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑ⅈ𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎⅈ𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 ⅈ𝑡.
𝛥2 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑ⅈ𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎⅈ𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 ⅈ𝑡.
𝐿𝐿 = 𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑙ⅈ𝑚ⅈ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠
𝑐ⅈ = 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 ⅈ𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙

Example:

Scores f x <cf Substituting to the formula, we have

16 – 23 2 19.5 2 𝛥1
𝑀0 = 𝐿𝐿 + [ ] 𝑐ⅈ
24 – 31 3 27.5 5 𝛥1 +𝛥2

32 – 39 6 35.5 11 𝛥1 = 12 − 10 = 2
𝛥2 = 12 − 6 = 6
40 – 47 12 43.5 23
2
48 – 55 10 51.5 33 𝑀0 = 39.5 + [ ]8
2+6
56 – 63 10 59.5 43 2
𝑀0 = 39.5 + [ ] 8
8
N = 43
𝑀0 = 39.5 + 2
𝑀0 = 41.5

Therefore, the mode is 41.5

𝑓 −𝑓
2. 𝑀0 = 𝐿𝐿 + [2𝑓 1−𝑓 2−𝑓 ] 𝑐ⅈ
1 0 2

where: 𝐿𝐿 = 𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑙ⅈ𝑚ⅈ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠.

𝑓1 = 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠.
𝑓0 = 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑑ⅈ𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠.
𝑓2 = 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑒𝑑ⅈ𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠
𝑐ⅈ = 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 ⅈ𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙

Example:

Scores f x <cf Substituting to the formula, we have

16 – 23 2 19.5 2 𝑓1 −𝑓2
𝑀0 = 𝐿𝐿 + [ ] 𝑐ⅈ
24 – 31 3 27.5 5 2𝑓1 −𝑓0 −𝑓2
𝑓0 = 6 , 𝑓1 = 12 , 𝑓2 = 10
32 – 39 6 35.5 11 12−10
𝑀0 = 39.5 + [ ]8
40 – 47 12 43.5 23 2(12) − 6 − 10
2
48 – 55 10 51.5 33 𝑀0 = 39.5 +[ ]8
24 − 6 − 10
2
56 – 63 10 59.5 43 𝑀0 = 39.5 + [ ]8
8
N = 43 𝑀0 = 39.5 + 2
𝑀0 = 41.5

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Exercises 2.2:
The table below is a frequency distribution of the scores of 50 students in a diagnostic
test. Complete the table and find the 3 measures of central tendency. (In computing the mean,
use both formulas. It’s a must!) Strictly No Erasures Allowed!

Scores Lower Class Mark Frequency Less than fx d df

Limit (x) (f) Cumulative
Frequency
(<cf)
18 – 20 17.5 19 2 2 38
21 – 23 4
24 – 26 9
27 – 29 8
30 – 32 11
33 – 35 7
36 – 38 3
39 – 41 1
42 – 44 5
N = 50

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