Range, Mean, Median, and Mode

Range, mean, median, and mode are terms that we use to describe sets of numbers or data.

Range is the difference between the highest value and the lowest value in your data set.

*remember, difference always refers to subtraction

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​Range

​Example:

24, 36, 12, 9, 2, 41.

First, we need to determine our highest and lowest values; Our highest is 41 and our lowest is 2.

Next, we subtract: 41 - 2 = 39

Range = 39

The mean of a data set is another word for the average.

To find this, we add all of our numbers together and then divide by the number of values we have.

​Mean

​Example:

24, 36, 12, 9, 2, 41.

First, we add: 24 + 36 + 12 + 9 + 2 + 41 = 124

Next, we divide by the number of values we have. We have 6 values so we will divide 124 by 6;

124 ÷ 6 = 20 with a remainder of 4

Mean = 20r4

The median is the middle item after the data is organized from the least to the greatest. Exactly half of the data is before the median, and the other half is after.

Median

​Example:

24, 36, 12, 9, 2, 41.

First, organize the values from least to greatest:

2, 9, 12, 24, 36, 41.

The middle numbers are 12 and 24. We need to find the mean of these two.

12 + 24 = 36

36 ÷ 2 = 18

Median = 18

The Mode is the most commonly occurring value within the set.

If no item occurs more often than others, there is no mode

Mode

​Example:

24, 36, 12, 9, 2, 41.

This data set has no mode because all of the values only occur once.

3, 5, 6 , 6, 9, 10.

The mode of this data set is 6 because it occurs twice, while the other values occur once.