Scenario:

Two football teams, the Otters and the Panthers, have the following scores for their last three games:

Otters: 6, 12, 15

Panthers: 10, 14, 24

Based on the information above, the Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) for Otters is 3.33 and for the Panthers is 5.33.

Question:

Based on the Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD), which team is more consistent and why?

You must explain in detail in order to receive full credit.

For example, "Team _________ is more consistent because _____provide supporting details_______"

Please use proper punctuation, full sentences, and spell check.

1 answer

Team Otters is more consistent because their Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) is lower at 3.33 compared to the Panthers' MAD of 5.33.

The Mean Absolute Deviation measures how much individual scores deviate from the mean score of the team. A lower MAD indicates that the scores are closer to the mean, reflecting less variability and greater consistency in performance. In the case of the Otters, their scores of 6, 12, and 15 have less fluctuation around their average, leading to a smaller deviation. This suggests that the Otters maintain a more reliable level of performance across their games.

In contrast, the Panthers' scores of 10, 14, and 24 display greater variability, which results in a higher MAD of 5.33. This indicates that their performance is less stable, with one particularly high score (24) pulling the average and resulting in a higher deviation from it.

Therefore, the Otters demonstrate more consistent performance, as their scores are more tightly clustered around their mean than the scores of the Panthers. This consistency can be crucial in competitive sports, where stable and predictable performance can be more advantageous in securing wins.