Measures of central tendency (Mean, Median, and Mode) provide a single value that represents the center of a data set.
A pastoralist in Puntland records the daily milk yield (in liters) from a specific camel over a week: 8, 10, 7, 12, 10, 9, 14.
When data is organized into classes, we use formulas to estimate the central values.
A local health clinic recorded the weights of 20 infants.
| Weight Range (kg) | Frequency (\(f\)) | Class Midpoint (\(x\)) | \(f \times x\) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 – 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| 4 – 6 | 8 | 5 | 40 |
| 6 – 8 | 5 | 7 | 35 |
| 8 – 10 | 3 | 9 | 27 |
Task: Calculate the estimated Mean weight.
Find the Mode for the following distribution of customers visiting a shop:
| Number of Customers | Frequency (\(f\)) |
|---|---|
| 10 – 20 | 5 |
| 20 – 30 | 12 |
| 30 – 40 | 8 |
| 40 – 50 | 5 |
The heights of 40 students were recorded. Calculate the Median height.
| Height (cm) | Frequency (\(f\)) | Cumulative Frequency (\(C_f\)) |
|---|---|---|
| 140 – 150 | 6 | 6 |
| 150 – 160 | 14 | 20 |
| 160 – 170 | 15 | 35 |
| 170 – 180 | 5 | 40 |
Correlation describes the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.
A teacher plots the relationship between hours spent studying (\(x\)) and test scores (\(y\)).
[Image of a scatter plot showing positive correlation]
When data is organized into classes (grouped data), we use specific formulas to estimate the median and mode since we no longer have the individual raw data points.
The mode for grouped data is estimated using the modal class (the class with the highest frequency).
Formula: \[\text{Mode} = L + \left( \frac{f_1 - f_0}{(f_1 - f_0) + (f_1 - f_2)} \right) \times c\]
Problem 5: Market Research A shopkeeper records the daily number of customers over a month. Find the Mode for the following distribution:
| Number of Customers | Frequency (\(f\)) |
|---|---|
| 10 – 20 | 5 |
| 20 – 30 | 12 |
| 30 – 40 | 8 |
| 40 – 50 | 5 |
The median is the value that falls at the \(\frac{N}{2}\) position of the total frequency.
Formula: \[\text{Median} = L + \left( \frac{\frac{N}{2} - C_f}{f} \right) \times c\]
Problem 6: Student Heights The heights of 40 students in a Form Three class were recorded. Calculate the Median height.
| Height (cm) | Frequency (\(f\)) | Cumulative Frequency (\(C_f\)) |
|---|---|---|
| 140 – 150 | 6 | 6 |
| 150 – 160 | 14 | 20 |
| 160 – 170 | 15 | 35 |
| 170 – 180 | 5 | 40 |