Question

what is the mean and median on a chart?

Answer 1

The mean and median are both measures of central tendency used in statistics to summarize a set of data points.

### Mean
- The **mean** is calculated by adding up all the values in a dataset and then dividing by the number of values.
- It provides a measure of the average value of the dataset.
- Formula:
\[
\text{Mean} = \frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n} x_i}{n}
\]
where \( x_i \) represents each value in the dataset and \( n \) is the number of values.

### Median
- The **median** is the middle value of a dataset when it has been sorted in ascending or descending order.
- If there is an odd number of observations, the median is the middle number. If there is an even number, the median is the average of the two middle numbers.
- It provides a measure of the center of the data that is not influenced by outliers.

### In a Chart
When represented on a chart, such as a histogram or box plot:
- The mean is often indicated by a line or point that shows the average value.
- The median can also be marked, often at the center of a box plot or as a line in a box-and-whisker representation.

These two measures can provide insights into the distribution of the data, such as whether it is skewed or has outliers. The mean can be pulled in the direction of outliers, while the median remains a better representation of the central tendency for skewed distributions.