Select five random numbers between 70 and 100. Calculate the mean, median, mode, and midrange of these numbers. Based on your calculations, which measure of central tendency best represents these numbers?

Answer 1

OK, so selecting five numbers at random, I will use:

75, 76, 83, 91, 87

Mean: (75 + 76 + 83 + 91 + 87)/5 = 82.4

Median: is the middle number, so 83.

Mode: is the number which repeats the most, so since no numbers repeat, there is no mode.

Midrange: is the average of the highest and the lowest, so: (75 + 91)/2 = 83.

Since the actual average, median, and midrange of the POPULATION (that is, all numbers from 70 to 100) is 85, we see that the measurements in our calculation that gets us closest is the median and the midrange, both at 83. The mean is also close at 82.4, but not as close as the other two.

You should repeat this exercise with your own random numbers to make sure you understand what we did above and see if your results differ.

Hope that helps =)

Answer 2

thanks- it helped me understand my homework.