Mean, Median, Mode, and Range
Mean, median, mode, and range are four statistical measures taught in Grade 6 Saxon Math Course 1. Mean (average) is the sum of values divided by the count. Median is the middle value after sorting — average the two middle values for even-count data sets. Mode is the most frequently appearing value. Range is the maximum minus the minimum. These four measures together describe both the center and the spread of any data set.
Key Concepts
Property Mean is the average of the numbers. Median is the middle number when data are in order. Mode is the most frequent number. Range is the difference between the greatest and least numbers.
Examples For data $2, 5, 5, 6, 7$, the Mean (average) is $\frac{2+5+5+6+7}{5} = 5$. For data $2, 5, 5, 6, 7$, the Median (middle) is $5$ and the Mode (most frequent) is also $5$. For data $2, 5, 5, 6, 7$, the Range (difference) is the highest minus the lowest: $7 2 = 5$.
Explanation These four terms are like detectives for your data! The mean is the fair share average. The median is the true middle man when you line everyone up. The mode is the most popular kid in class (the one you see most often). And the range tells you how spread out everything is, from top to bottom.
Common Questions
How do you find the mean of a data set?
Add all values, then divide by the number of values.
How do you find the median when there are an even number of values?
Sort the data, identify the two middle values, and average them.
What is the mode of {3, 7, 3, 9, 3, 5}?
3 — it appears three times, more than any other value.
Find the range of scores: 88, 92, 76, 100, 84.
Maximum 100 − Minimum 76 = Range 24.
What does a large range indicate about a data set?
The data values are spread far apart — there is high variability between the smallest and largest values.