Range
Range is a Grade 8 statistics skill in Saxon Math Course 3, Chapter 6, where students calculate the spread of a data set by finding the difference between the maximum and minimum values. Range is the simplest measure of variability and helps students describe how spread out data is alongside measures of central tendency.
Key Concepts
Property The range of data is the difference between the highest and lowest values in the set. $$\text{range} = \text{highest value} \text{lowest value}$$.
Examples For the TV ratings data with a high of 16.1 and a low of 14.2, the range is $16.1 14.2 = 1.9$. If your test scores are {75, 81, 82, 98}, the range is $98 75 = 23$. For customer ages {27, 28, 31, 33, 35, 38, 41, 42, 73, 75}, the range is a wide $75 27 = 48$.
Explanation Range tells you the spread of your data, like the distance from the tallest to the shortest person in a room. It's a quick way to see how varied your numbers are, but it's sensitive to extreme values and doesn't tell you anything about what's happening in the middle. It gives a full picture of the data's scope from end to end.
Common Questions
What is the range in statistics?
The range of a data set is the difference between the maximum (largest) and minimum (smallest) values. It measures how spread out the data is.
How do you calculate the range?
Subtract the minimum value from the maximum value. Range = maximum minus minimum. For example, in the data set 4, 7, 9, 12, 15, the range is 15 minus 4 = 11.
What does a large range tell you about a data set?
A large range indicates the data values are widely spread. A small range means the values are clustered close together.
How is range different from mean and median?
Mean and median are measures of central tendency that describe the center of data. Range is a measure of spread that describes how much the data varies.
Where is range in statistics taught in Grade 8?
Range is covered in Saxon Math Course 3, Chapter 6: Number and Operations and Data Analysis and Probability.