16.1 Mode, median and range · Unit 16 Interpreting and discussing results

1 · Teaching slidesuse ← → keys

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2 · Key words

modeThe value that occurs most often.

medianThe middle value when the data is in order.

rangeThe largest value minus the smallest.

averageA single value that stands for a whole set.

spreadHow far apart the values are.

data setThe collection of values being described.

3 · Summary of the sectionrevise from this

The mode is the value that occurs most often.
The median is the middle value — but only once the data is in order.
With an even number of values, the median is halfway between the middle two.
The range is largest − smallest. It measures spread, not average.
With n values in order, the median is in position (n + 1) ÷ 2.
The mode must be one of the values; the median need not be.
A set can have no mode, and saying so is a proper answer.
The mode is the only average that works for words — a modal colour makes sense, a mean colour does not.
The range sees only the two ends, so two very different sets can share one.

PDFPrintable worksheet All 61 questions, space to work PDFWorked answers Full solutions, not just the answer

Video lessons3 videos

The median

British corbettmaths

Ordering the data first, and the even-number case.

The Range

British corbettmaths

Largest minus smallest, and why it is a measure of spread rather than an average.

Math Antics - Mean, Median and Mode

American mathantics

All three averages side by side, with the differences made plain.

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Mode, median and range