Module 3: Measures of Center

Describing a set of data with numerical measures can best convey a mental picture of
the data to an audience. Such numerical measures, which can be calculated for either a
sample or a population of measurements are the parameters when associated with the
population and the statistics when calculated from sample measurements.

3.1 The Mean

Descriptive measures that indicate where the center or the most typical value of the
variable lies in collected set of measurements are called measures of center. Measures
of center are often referred to as averages. The arithmetic mean or the sample mean is
the arithmetic average of a set of measurement which is equal to the sum of the
measurements divided by n, the total number of measurements. This implies that for n
number of measurements, where there are x 1, x2, x3, ... xn measurements, to add the
total is given by the notation

n
∑ x i= x1 + x2 + x 3 +. .. ..+ x n
i=1 (i= 1, 2, 3….n)

The sample mean is computed by the equation,

x=
∑ xi
n
where the population mean is µ.

DEFINITION. The sample mean of the variable is the sum of the observed values or
measurements x1, x2, x3, … xn in a data divided by the number of observations or
measurements n. The sample mean is denoted by x.

Example 3.2. Seven participants in a bike race registered the following finishing times in
minutes: 28,22,26,29,21,23,24. What is the mean?
The mean is he total of the seven observations, 173, divided by the number of
observations, n = 7 which is 173/7 = 24.7143.

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Example 3.3. Another racer came in late registering at 50 minutes. What is the new mean?
The new mean is the total, 223 divided by the total observed finishing time of 8. The
new mean is equal to 27.875.

For grouped data, a different computation is done to determine the mean using the
equation given below,

N
∑ f i xi
x= i=1
N

f i =i th frequency
x i=i th class mark
N= total number of observations

Example 3.4 In a 100-meter dash competition, 10 participants were having their individual time
trial, the last time trial recorded the following length of time in seconds to complete the
race: 60, 59.5, 60.1, 59.5, 61, 58, 60.5, 60.6, 59.8, 60.8.
a. Construct the table of frequency distribution.
b. Compute the mean of the finishing time of the trials.

Class Frequency Class Mark fx

58.0 ¿ 58.9 1 58.45 58.45
59.0 ¿ 59.9 3 59.45 178.35
60.0 ¿ 60.9 5 60.45 302.25
61.0 ¿ 61.9 1 61.45 61.45
N = 10

∑ fx= 600.5

600 .5
x= =60 . 05
10

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 3.2 The Median

The sample median of a quantitative variable for a set of n measurements or

observations is the value of x that falls in the middle position when the measurements
or observations are ordered from smallest to largest. It is the value that divides the set
of values in half, so that the observed values in one half are less than or equal to the
median value and the observed values in the other half are greater or equal to the
median value.

DEFINITION. The median is determined by arranging the observed values of the variable
in a data set in increasing order:

1. If the number of observation is odd, then the sample median is the observed value
exactly in the middle of the ordered list.
2. It the number of observation is even, then the sample median is the number halfway
between the two middle observed values in the ordered list.

Example 3.5. Seven participants in a bike race had the following finishing times in minutes:
28,22,26,29,21,23,24
The median is the one at the middle, 21,22,23,24,26,28,29, which is 24.

Example 3.6. Another racer came in late at 50 minutes. What is the new median ?
The new median is (24+26)/2 = 25.

For group data, the formula for finding the median is given as shown.

[ ]
N
−¿ CF b
2
Md=L Md + i
f Md

where
LMd = lower class boundary of the median class
¿ CF b = less than cumulative frequency below the median class
i= class size

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 f Md = frequency of the median class

Example 3.7 In a 100-meter dash competition, 10 participants were having their individual time
trial, the last time trial recorded the following length of time in seconds to complete the
race: 60, 59.5, 60.1, 59.5, 61, 58, 60.5, 60.6, 59.8, 60.8.
a. Construct the table of cumulative frequency distribution.
b. Compute the median of the finishing time of the trials.

Class Frequency Class Mark fx <Cumulative

Frequency
58.0 ¿ 58.9 1 58.45 58.45 1
59.0 ¿ 59.9 3 59.45 178.35 4
60.0 ¿ 60.9 5 60.45 302.25 9
61.0 ¿ 61.9 1 61.45 61.45 10
N = 10
∑ fx= 600.5
1. Calculate N/2. N/2 = 5
2. Determine the median class. 60.0 ¿ 60.9
3. Look for <CF nearest to but not less than 5. <CFb = 4
4. Look for the value of lower boundary, LMd. LMd = 60.0

Md=60 . 0+
[ ]
5−4
9
1=60 . 11

3.3 The Mode

The sample mode of a qualitative or a discrete quantitative variable is that value of the
variable which occurs with the greatest frequency in a data set.

DEFINITION. Obtain the frequency of each observed value of the variable in a data and
note the greatest frequency.

1. If the greatest frequency is 1(i.e. no value occurs more than once), then the variable
has no mode.
2. If the greatest frequency is 2 or greater, then any value that occurs with that
greatest frequency is called a sample mode of the variable.

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 To obtain the mode of a variable, construct a frequency distribution for the data using
classes based on single value. The mode can then be determined easily from the
frequency distribution.

When the measurements or observations on a continuous variable have been grouped

as a frequency or relative frequency histogram, the class with the highest frequency is
called the modal class, and the midpoint of that class is taken to be the mode.

Example 3.7. In a 100-meter dash with 10 participants were having their individual time trial,
the last time trial recorded the following length of time in seconds to complete the race:
60, 59.5, 60.1, 59.5, 61, 58, 60.5, 60.6, 59.8, 60.8.
a. Construct the frequency distribution table.
b. Determine the mode of the sample.

Class Frequency
58 < 59 1
The modal class is 59 < 60 3 60 to less than 61 with
frequency of 5, 60 < 61 5 and with the following
time trials, 60, 61 < 62 1 60.1, 60.5, 60.6, 60.8. The
mode is the midpoint of the class
which is 60.5.

Another method for determining the mode of the grouped data is through the use of
the formula given below.

Mo=LMo +
[ Δ1
Δ1 + Δ2]i

M o = modal class or the class interval with the highest frequency

LM =
o lower class boundary of the modal class
Δ 1= difference between the frequency of the modal class and the
frequency above it
Δ 2= difference between the frequency of the modal class and the
Frequency just below it
i= class size

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Example 3.8. In a 100-meter dash with 10 participants were having their individual time trial,
the last time trial recorded the following length of time in seconds to complete the race:
60, 59.5, 60.1, 59.5, 61, 58, 60.5, 60.6, 59.8, 60.8.
a. Construct the frequency distribution table.
b. Determine the mode of the sample.

Class Frequency Class Mark fx

¿
58.0 58.9 1 58.45 58.45
59.0 ¿ 59.9 3 59.45 178.35
60.0 ¿ 60.9 5 60.45 302.25
61.0 ¿ 61.9 1 61.45 61.45
a . T h e m o d a l
with frequency of 5.
b. Lower class boundary of the modal class is 60.0.
c. Δ 1= 5-1 = 4 and Δ 2= 5-3 = 2

Mo=60 .0+ [ ]
4
4+ 2
1=60 . 67

Activity 6 (#1.)
6. The raw grade point average of 40 students in Algebra is shown as calculated by a
faculty member which is based on the 11-point system.

2.0 3.1 1.9 2.5 1.9

2.3 2.6 3.1 2.2 2.1
2.9 3.0 2.7 2.5 2.4
2.7 2.5 2.4 3.0 3.4
2.6 2.8 2.5 2.7 2.9
2.7 2.8 2.2 2.7 2.1
2.1 1.2 1.8 1.3 1.7
1.5 1.5 1.6 1.4 1.8

a. Draw the frequency histogram of the GPA.

b. What is the shape of the histogram in a?
c. What is the fraction of the frequency of those with GPA higher than or equal to
2.25?

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 3.4 Which measure to choose?

The mode should be used when calculating measure of center for the qualitative
variable. When the variable is quantitative with symmetric distribution, the mean is the
appropriate measure of center. In a case where the distribution is skewed, the median is
a good choice for the measure of center. This is due to the fact that the mean can be
highly influenced by an observation or measurement that falls far from the rest of the
data, called the outlier.

It should be noted that the sample mode, sample median and the sample mean of the
variable under consideration have the corresponding population measures of center, i.e.
population mode, population median, and population mean, which are all unknown.
Then, the sample mode, sample median, and the sample mean can be used to estimate
the values of these corresponding unknown population values.

Activity 7. (#2.8, p 54)

7. The following data show the occupancy costs per square meter in 2005 for prime
office space in 16 cities in Luzon.

1836 3282 2506 3430

1912 1485 3092 2460
3574 1932 1752 2700
3050 2358 3089 2120

a. Find the average cost per square meter.

b. Find the median cost per square meter.
c. Based on your findings in a and b, do you conclude that the distribution is skewed?
Why?