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Central Tendency Measures Explained

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24 views22 pages

Central Tendency Measures Explained

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muniraneim
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
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Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

CHAPTER 3

MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY


Introduction
➢ When we want to make comparison between groups of numbers it is good to have a single
value that is considered to be a good representative of each group. This single value is called
the average of the group. Averages are also called measures of central tendency.
➢ An average which is representative is called typical average and an average which is not
representative and has only a theoretical value is called a descriptive average. A typical
average should possess the following:
• It should be rigidly defined.
• It should be based on all observation under investigation.
• It should be as little as affected by extreme observations.
• It should be capable of further algebraic treatment.
• It should be as little as affected by fluctuations of sampling.
• It should be ease to calculate and simple to understand.
Objectives:
 To comprehend the data easily.
 To facilitate comparison.
 To make further statistical analysis.
The Summation Notation:
• Let X1, X2, X3 …XN be a number of measurements where N is the total number of
observation and Xi is ith observation.
• Very often in statistics an algebraic expression of the form X1+X2+X3+...+XN is used in a
formula to compute a statistic. It is tedious to write an expression like this very often,
so mathematicians have developed a shorthand notation to represent a sum of scores,
called the summation notation.
N
• The symbol Xi =1
i is a mathematical shorthand for X1+X2+X3+...+XN

Page 1 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

The expression is read, "the sum of X sub i from i equals 1 to N." It means "add up all the
numbers."
Example: Suppose the following were scores made on the first homework assignment for
five students in the class: 5, 7, 7, 6, and 8. In this example set of five numbers, where N=5,
the summation could be written:

The "i=1" in the bottom of the summation notation tells where to begin the sequence of
summation. If the expression were written with "i=3", the summation would start with the
third number in the set. For example:

In the example set of numbers, this would give the following result:

The "N" in the upper part of the summation notation tells where to end the sequence of
summation. If there were only three scores then the summation and example would be:

Sometimes if the summation notation is used in an expression and the expression must be
written a number of times, as in a proof, then a shorthand notation for the shorthand
notation is employed. When the summation sign "∑" is used without additional notation,
then "i=1" and "N" are assumed.
For example:

PROPERTIES OF SUMMATION
n
1.  k = nk
i =1
where k is any constant

Page 2 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

2.  kX i where k is any constant


n n
= k X i
i =1 i =1

3. where a and b are any constant


n n

 (a + bX i ) = na + b X i
i =1 i =1

n n n
4.  ( X i + Yi ) =  X i + Yi
i =1 i =1 i =1

The sum of the product of the two variables could be written:

Example: considering the following data determine


X 5 7 7 6 8
Y 6 7 8 7 8
5 5
a)  Xi
i =1
e) (X
i =1
i − Yi )

5 5
b)  Yi
i =1
f) X Y
i =1
i i

5 5
c) 10 g) X
2
i
i =1 i =1

5 5 5
d) (X i + Yi ) h) ( X i )( Yi )
i =1 i =1 i =1

Solutions:
5
a) X
i =1
i = 5 + 7 + 7 + 6 + 8 = 33

5
b) Y
i =1
i = 6 + 7 + 8 + 7 + 8 = 36

5
c) 10 = 5 *10 = 50
i =1

5
d) (X
i =1
i + Yi ) = (5 + 6) + (7 + 7) + (7 + 8) + (6 + 7) + (8 + 8) = 69 = 33 + 36

5
e) (X
i =1
i − Yi ) = (5 − 6) + (7 − 7) + (7 − 8) + (6 − 7) + (8 − 8) = −3 = 33 − 36

Page 3 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

5
f) X Y
i =1
i i = 5 * 6 + 7 * 7 + 7 * 8 + 6 * 7 + 8 * 8 = 241

5
g) X = 5 2 + 7 2 + 7 2 + 6 2 + 8 2 = 223
2
i
i =1

5 5
h) ( X i )( Yi ) = 33 * 36 = 1188
i =1 i =1

Types of measures of central tendency

There are several different measures of central tendency; each has its advantage and
disadvantage.
• The Mean (Arithmetic, Geometric and Harmonic)
• The Mode
• The Median
• Quantiles (Quartiles, Deciles and Percentiles)
The choice of these averages depends up on which best fit the property under discussion.

Arithmetic Mean
• Is defined as the sum of the magnitude of the items divided by the number of items.
• The mean of X1, X2 ,X3 …Xn is denoted by A.M ,m or X and is given by:
X 1 + X 2 + ... + X n
X =
n
n

X i
X = i =1

n
• If X1 occurs f1 times, if X2occurs f2 times, … , if Xn occurs fn times
k

fX i i k
Then the mean will be X= i =1
k , where k is the number of classes and f i =n
f
i =1
i
i =1

Example: Obtain the mean of the following number


2, 7, 8, 2, 7, 3, 7

Page 4 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

Solution:
Xi fi Xifi
2 2 4
3 1 3
7 3 21
8 1 8
Total 7 36
4

f i Xi
36
X = i =1
4
= = 5.15
f
7
i
i =1

Arithmetic Mean for Grouped Data


If data are given in the shape of a continuous frequency distribution, then the mean is
obtained as follows:
k

f i Xi
, Where Xi =the class mark of the i class and fi = the frequency of the i class
th th
X = i =1
k

f i =1
i

Example: calculate the mean for the following age distribution.


Class Frequency
6- 10 35
11- 15 23
16- 20 15
21- 25 12
26- 30 9
31- 35 6
Solutions:
• First find the class marks
• Find the product of frequency and class marks
• Find mean using the formula
Class fi Xi Xifi
6- 10 35 8 280

Page 5 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

11- 15 23 13 299 6

f X i i
1575
16- 20 15 18 270 X = i =1
6
= = 15.75
f
100
21- 25 12 23 276 i =1
i

26- 30 9 28 252
31- 35 6 33 198
Total 100 1575
Exercises:
1. Marks of 75 students are summarized in the following frequency distribution:
Marks No. of students
40-44 7 If 20% of the students have marks between
45-49 10 55 and 59
50-54 22 i. Find the missing frequencies f4
55-59 f4 and f5.

60-64 f5 ii. Find the mean.

65-69 6
70-74 3

Special properties of Arithmetic mean


1. The sum of the deviations of a set of items from their mean is always zero. i.e.
n

 ( X − X ) = 0.
i =1
i

2. The sum of the squared deviations of a set of items from their mean is the minimum.
n n
i.e.  ( Xi − X ) 2   ( X i − A) 2 , A  X
i =1 i =1

3. If X 1 is the mean of n1 observations, if X 2 is the mean of n 2 observations, … , if X k is

the mean of n k observation, then the mean of all the observation in all groups often

called the combined mean is given by:


k

X n + X 2 n 2 + .... + X k n k X n i i
Xc = 1 1 = i =1
n1 + n 2 + ...n k
k

n
i =1
i

Page 6 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

Example: In a class there are 30 females and 70 males. If females averaged 60 in an


examination and boys averaged 72, find the mean for the entire class.
Solutions:
Females Males
X 1 = 60 X 2 = 72
n1 = 30 n2 = 70

X n + X 2 n2 
X i ni
Xc = 1 1 = i=12
n1 + n2
n
i =1
i

30(60) + 70(72) 6840


 Xc = = = 68.40
30 + 70 100
If a wrong figure has been used when calculating the mean the correct mean can be
obtained without repeating the whole process using:
(CorrectValue − WrongValue)
CorrectMean = WrongMean +
n
Where n is total number of observations.
Example: An average weight of 10 students was calculated to be [Link] it was
discovered that one weight was misread as 40 instead of 80 kg. Calculate the correct
average weight.
Solutions:
(CorrectValue − WrongValue)
CorrectMean = WrongMean +
n
(80 − 40)
CorrectMean = 65 + = 65 + 4 = 69k.g.
10
4. The effect of transforming original series on the mean.
a) If a constant k is added/ subtracted to/from every observation then the new
mean will be the old mean± k respectively.
b) If every observations are multiplied by a constant k then the new mean will be

k*old mean

Page 7 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

Example:
1. The mean of n Tetracycline Capsules X1, X2, …, Xn are known to be 12 gm. New set
of capsules of another drug are obtained by the linear transformation Yi = 2Xi –
0.5 ( i = 1, 2, …, n ) then what will be the mean of the new set of capsules
Solutions:
NewMean = 2 * OldMean − 0.5 = 2 * 12 − 0.5 = 23.5
2. The mean of a set of numbers is 500.
a) If 10 is added to each of the numbers in the set, then what will be the mean of the
new set?
b) If each of the numbers in the set are multiplied by -5, then what will be the mean
of the new set?
a).NewMean = OldMean + 10 = 500 + 10 = 510
Solutions:
b).NewMean = −5 * OldMean = −5 * 500 = −2500
Weighted Mean
 When a proper importance is desired to be given to different data a weighted mean is
appropriate.
 Weights are assigned to each item in proportion to its relative importance.
 Let X1, X2, …Xn be the value of items of a series and W1, W2, …Wn their corresponding
weights , then the weighted mean denoted X w is defined as:
n

X W i i
Xw = i =1
n

W i −1
i

Example: A student obtained the following percentage in an examination: English 60,


Biology 75, Mathematics 63, Physics 59, and chemistry [Link] the students weighted
arithmetic mean if weights 1, 2, 1, 3, 3 respectively are allotted to the subjects.
Solutions:
5

X W i i
60 * 1 + 75 * 2 + 63 * 1 + 59 * 3 + 55 * 3 615
Xw = i =1
= = = 61.5
1+ 2 + 1+ 3 + 3
5
10
W
i −1
i

Page 8 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

Merits and Demerits of Arithmetic Mean


Merits:
• It is based on all observation.
• It is suitable for further mathematical treatment.
• It is stable average, i.e. it is not affected by fluctuations of sampling to some extent.
• It is easy to calculate and simple to understand.
Demerits:
• It is affected by extreme observations.
• It can not be used in the case of open end classes.
• It can not be determined by the method of inspection.
• It can not be used when dealing with qualitative characteristics, such as intelligence,
honesty, beauty.

Geometric Mean
 The geometric mean of a set of n observation is the nth root of their product.
 The geometric mean of X1, X2 ,X3 …Xn is denoted by G.M and given by:
G.M = n X1 * X2 * ... * Xn

 Taking the logarithms of both sides


1
log(G.M) = log(n X 1 * X 2 * ... * X n ) = log(X 1 * X 2 * ... * X n ) n
1 1
 log(G.M) = log(X 1 * X 2 * .... * X n ) = (log X 1 + log X 2 + ... + log X n )
n n
n
1
 log(G.M) =  log X i
n i=1

 The logarithm of the G.M of a set of observation is the arithmetic mean of their logarithm.
1 n
 G.M = Anti log(  log X i )
n i=1

Example: Find the G.M of the numbers 2, 4, 8.


Solutions: G.M = n X1 * X2 * ... * Xn = 3 2 * 4 * 8 = 3 64 = 4

Remark: The Geometric Mean is useful and appropriate for finding averages of ratios.

Page 9 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

Harmonic Mean
The harmonic mean of X1, X2 , X3 …Xn is denoted by H.M and given by:
n
H.M = n , This is called simple harmonic mean.
1

i =1 X i

In a case of frequency distribution:


n k
H.M = k
fi
, n =  fi

i =1 X i
i =1

If observations X1, X2, …Xn have weights W1, W2, …Wn respectively, then their harmonic
mean is given by
n

W i
H.M = n
i =1
, This is called Weighted Harmonic Mean.
W
i =1
i Xi

Remark: The Harmonic Mean is useful and appropriate in finding average speeds and
average rates.
Example: A cyclist pedals from his house to his college at speed of 10 km/hr and back from
the college to his house at 15 km/hr. Find the average speed.
Solution: Here the distance is constant
The simple H.M is appropriate for this problem.
X1= 10km/hr X2=15km/hr
2
H.M = = 12km/hr
1 1
+
10 15
Mode
- Mode is a value which occurs most frequently in a set of values
- The mode may not exist and even if it does exist, it may not be unique.
- In case of discrete distribution the value having the maximum frequency is the modal
value.
Examples:
1. Find the mode of 5, 3, 5, 8, 9 Mode =5

Page 10 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

2. Find the mode of 8, 9, 9, 7, 8, 2, and 5.


It is a bimodal Data: 8 and 9
3. Find the mode of 4, 12, 3, 6, and 7.
No mode for this data.

- The mode of a set of numbers X1, X2, …Xn is usually denoted by X̂ .

Mode for Grouped data


If data are given in the shape of continuous frequency distribution, the mode is defined as:

 1 
X̂ = L mo + w 
 1 +  2 
Where:
Xˆ = the mod e of the distribution
w = the size of the mod al class
 1 = f mo − f 1
 2 = f mo − f 2
f mo = frequencyof the mod al class
f 1 = frequencyof the class preceedingthe mod al class
f 2 = frequencyof the class following the mod al class
Note: The modal class is a class with the highest frequency.
Example: Following is the distribution of the size of certain farms selected at random from
a district. Calculate the mode of the distribution.
Size of farms No. of farms
5-15 8
15-25 12
25-35 17
35-45 29
45-55 31
55-65 5
65-75 3
Solutions:

Page 11 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

45 − 55 is the mod al class, sin ce it is a class with the highest frequency.


Lmo = 45
w = 10
 1 = f mo − f 1 = 2
 2 = f mo − f 2 = 26
f mo = 31
f 1 = 29
f2 = 5

 Xˆ = 45 + 10
2 

 2 + 26 
= 45.71

Merits and Demerits of Mode


Merits:
• It is not affected by extreme observations.
• Easy to calculate and simple to understand.
• It can be calculated for distribution with open end class
Demerits:
• It is not rigidly defined.

• It is not based on all observations

• It is not suitable for further mathematical treatment.


• It is not stable average, i.e. it is affected by fluctuations of sampling to some extent.
• Often its value is not unique.
Note: being the point of maximum density, mode is especially useful in finding the most
popular size in studies relating to marketing, trade, business, and industry. It is the
appropriate average to be used to find the ideal size.

Median
- In a distribution, median is the value of the variable which divides it in to two equal halves.
- In an ordered series of data median is an observation lying exactly in the middle of the series.
It is the middle most value in the sense that the number of values less than the median is equal
to the number of values greater than it.

Page 12 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

-If X1, X2, …Xn be the observations, then the numbers arranged in ascending order will be X[1],
X[2], …X[n], where X[i] is ith smallest value.
 X[1]< X[2]< …<X[n]
-Median is denoted by X̂ .
Median for ungrouped data
 X ( n+1) 2  ,If n is odd.
~ 1
X =  (X + X ), If n is even
 2 n 2  ( n 2 ) + 1
 
 

Example: Find the median of the following numbers.


a) 6, 5, 2, 8, 9, 4.
b) 2, 1, 8, 3, 5, 8.
Solutions:
a) First order the data: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 Here n=6
~ 1
X = (X n + X n )
2 [2] [ + 1]
2

1
= ( X [3] + X [ 4 ] )
2
1
= ( 5 + 6) = 5.5
2
b) Order the data :1, 2, 3, 5, 8 Here n=5
~= X
X n +1
[ ]
2
= X [3]
=3

Median for grouped data


If data are given in continuous frequency distribution, the median is defined as:
~ w n
X = Lmed + ( − c)
f med 2

Page 13 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

Where :
Lmed = lower class boundaryof the medianclass.
w = the size of the medianclass
n = total number of observations.
c = the cumulative frequency(less thantype) preceedingthe medianclass.
f med = thefrequency of the medianclass.

Remark:
The median class is the class with the smallest cumulative frequency (less than type) greater

n
than or equal to .
2
Example: Find the median of the following distribution.
Class Frequency
40-44 7
45-49 10
50-54 22
55-59 15
60-64 12
65-69 6
70-74 3
Solutions:
• First find the less than cumulative frequency.
• Identify the median class.
• Find median using formula
Class Frequency [Link](less than type)
40-44 7 7
45-49 10 17
50-54 22 39
55-59 15 54
60-64 12 66
65-69 6 72

Page 14 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

70-74 3 75
n 75
= = 37.5
2 2
39 is the first cumulative frequencyto be greater thanor equalto 37.5
 50 − 54 is the median class.

L = 49.5, w = 5
med
n = 75, c = 17, f = 22
med

~
 X= L + w ( n − c)
med f 2
med
= 49.5 + 5 (37.5 − 17)
22
= 54.16
Merits and Demerits of Median
Merits:
• Median is a positional average and hence not influenced by extreme observations.
• Can be calculated in the case of open end intervals.
• Median can be located even if the data are incomplete.
Demerits:
• It is not a good representative of data if the number of items is small.
• It is not amenable to further algebraic treatment.
• It is susceptible to sampling fluctuations.

Quantiles
When a distribution is arranged in order of magnitude of items, the median is the value of the
middle term. Their measures that depend up on their positions in distribution quartiles, deciles,
and percentiles are collectively called quantiles.
Quartiles:
- Quartiles are three points which divide the frequency distribution in to four equal parts.
Each portion conations an equal number of elements.

Page 15 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

- The value of the variables corresponding to these divisions are denoted Q1, Q2, and Q3
often called the first, the second and the third quartile respectively.
- Q1 is a value which has 25% items which are less than or equal to it. Similarly Q2 has
50%items with value less than or equal to it and Q3 has 75% items whose values are
less than or equal to it.

iN
- To find Qi (i=1, 2, 3) we count of the classes beginning from the lowest class.
4

Quartiles for raw data (ungrouped data)

Firstly the data should be present in the ascending order of magnitude next use the following
(𝑖 ∗ 𝑛)𝑡ℎ
𝑄𝑖 = 𝑘 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
4
Example: The following data relate the weight of 191 peoples compute each quartiles.
Weight 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 9 95
(kilogram)
Numbers 2 6 15 30 60 40 23 11 3 1
of persons
Cf 2 8 23 53 113 153 176 187 190 191

Solution:
(𝑛 + 1)𝑡ℎ
𝑄𝑘 = 𝑘 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
4
1(191+1)𝑡ℎ (192)𝑡ℎ
i) 𝑄1= = =48th observation = 65 kilogram
4 4

Interpretation: 25% of the peoples are less than 65 kilogram, which is less than 𝑄1 = 65
2(191+1)𝑡ℎ 2 (192)𝑡ℎ (192)𝑡ℎ
ii) 𝑄2 = 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒= 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟= 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛=96th observation
4 4 2

= 70 kilogram
Interpretation: 50% of the peoples are below 70 kilogram
3(191+1)𝑡ℎ 3(192)𝑡ℎ
iii) 𝑄3 = 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒= 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟 = 3(48)𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛=144th observation
4 4

= 75 kilogram
Interpretation: 75% of the peoples are below 75 kilogram

Page 16 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

For grouped data


We have the following formula

Q= L Q + w ( iN − c) ,i = 1,2,3
i i fQ 4
i
Where :
L Q = lower classboundary of thequartile class.
i
w = thesize of thequartile class
N = total numberof observations.
c = thecumulativefrequency(lessthantype) preceedingthequartile class.
f Q = thefrequency of thequartile class.
i

Remark: The quartile class (class containing Qi) is the class with the smallest cumulative

iN
frequency (less than type) greater than or equal to .
4
Deciles:
- Deciles are nine points which divide the frequency distribution in to ten equal parts. .
Each portion contains an equal number of elements.
- The values of the variables corresponding to these divisions are denoted D1, D2,.. D9
often called the first, the second,…, the ninth deciles respectively.

iN
- To find Di (i=1, 2,..9) we count of the classes beginning from the lowest class.
10
Deciles for raw data (ungrouped data)

Firstly the data should be present in the ascending order of magnitude next use the following
(𝑖 ∗ 𝑛)𝑡ℎ
𝐷𝑖 = 𝑘 observation
10
Example: find the 7th decile of the data on the weight of 191 peoples above
𝑘(𝑛+1)𝑡ℎ
a) 𝐷7 = Obser
10
7(191+1)𝑡ℎ
𝐷7 = Obser = 134.4th≈ 134𝑡ℎ observation= 75 kilogram
10

NB: 70% of the weights are below 75 kilogram, which is 𝐷7

Page 17 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

For grouped data:


We have the following formula
w iN
Di = LD i + ( − c) , i = 1,2,...,9
f Di 10

Where :
LDi = lower class boundary of the decile class.
w = the size of the decileclass
N = total numberof observations.
c = the cumulative frequency (less thantype) preceedingthe decile class.
f Di = the frequency of the decile class.

Remark:
The deciles class (class containing Di) is the class with the smallest cumulative frequency (less

iN
than type) greater than or equal to .
10
Percentiles:
- Percentiles are measures that divide the frequency distribution in to hundred equal
parts.
- The values of the variables corresponding to these divisions are denoted P1, P2,.. P99
often called the first, the second,…, the ninety-ninth percentile respectively.

iN
- To find Pi (i=1, 2,..99) we count of the classes beginning from the lowest class.
100
Percentiles for raw data (ungrouped data)

Firstly the data should be present in the ascending order of magnitude next use the following
(𝑛+1)𝑡ℎ
𝑃𝑘 = 𝑘 𝑜𝑏𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
100

Example: find the 90th percentile of the data on the weight of 191 peoples above
90(191+1)𝑡ℎ
𝑃90 = = 172.8th position ≈ 173th observation = 80 kilogram
100

For grouped data


We have the following formula

Page 18 of 22
Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

w iN
P =L + ( − c) , i = 1,2,..., 99
i P f 100
i P
i
Where :
L = lower class boundaryof the percentile class.
P
i
w = the size of the percentile class
N = total number of observations.
c = the cumulative frequency(less than type) preceedingthe percentile class.
f = the frequencyof the percentileclass.
P
i
Remark:
The percentile class (class containing Pi) is the class with the small cumulative frequency

iN
(less than type) greater than or equal to .
100

Example: Considering the following distribution


Calculate:
a) All quartiles.
b) The 7th decile.
c) The 90th percentile.

Values Frequency
140- 150 17
150- 160 29
160- 170 42
170- 180 72
180- 190 84
190- 200 107
200- 210 49
210- 220 34
220- 230 31
230- 240 16
240- 250 12

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Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

Solutions:
• First find the less than cumulative frequency.
• Use the formula to calculate the required quantile.
Values Frequency [Link](less
than type)
140- 150 17 17
150- 160 29 46
160- 170 42 88
170- 180 72 160
180- 190 84 244
190- 200 107 351
200- 210 49 400
210- 220 34 434
220- 230 31 465
230- 240 16 481
240- 250 12 493
a) Quartiles:
i. Q1
- determine the class containing the first quartile.
N
= 123.25
4
 170 − 180 is the class containingthe first quartile.

w N
 Q1 = LQ1 + ( − c)
LQ = 170 ,
1
w =10 fQ 4
1

N = 493 , c = 88 , f Q = 72
1 = 170 +
10
(123.25 − 88)
72
= 174.90

ii. Q2
- determine the class containing the second quartile.

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Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

2* N
= 246.5
4
 190 − 200 is the class containingthe sec ond quartile.
LQ = 190 ,
2
w =10
N = 493 , c = 244 , f Q =107
2

w 2* N
 Q2 = LQ + ( − c)
2
fQ 2
4
10
= 170 + (246.5 − 244)
72
= 190.23

iii. Q3
- determine the class containing the third quartile.

3* N
= 369.75
4
 200 − 210 is the class containingthe third quartile.
LQ = 200 ,
3
w =10
N = 493 , c = 351 , f Q = 49
3

w 3* N
 Q3 = LQ 3 + ( − c)
fQ 3
4
10
= 200 + (369.75 − 351)
49
= 203.83

b) D7
- determine the class containing the 7th decile.

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Introduction to Statistics Chapter 3: Measures of Central Tendency

7* N
= 345.1
10
190 − 200 is the class containingthe seventh decile.
LD = 190 ,
7
w =10
N = 493 , c = 244 , f D =107
7

w 7* N
 D7 = LD + ( − c)
7
f D 10
7

10
= 190 + (345.1 − 244)
107
= 199.45

c) P90
- determine the class containing the 90th percentile.

90 * N
= 443.7
100
 220 − 230 is the class containingthe90th percentile.
LP = 220 ,
90
w =10
N = 493 , c = 434 , f P = 3107
90

w 90 * N
 P90 = LP + ( − c)
90
f P 100
90

10
= 220 + (443.7 − 434)
31
= 223.13

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Common questions

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The arithmetic mean incorporates all data points, making it useful for further statistical analysis and providing an overall average level across a dataset . However, it is sensitive to extreme values, which can skew the mean, unlike the median, which is more robust against outliers . Thus, while it provides a comprehensive measure, it does not always offer a skew-resistant or outlier-immune central tendency depiction.

The arithmetic mean can be adjusted by correcting erroneous data points using the formula \( \text{Correct Mean} = \text{Old Mean} + \frac{\text{Correct Value - Wrong Value}}{n} \) when a mistake in value identification is found . Furthermore, transformations such as scaling by a constant k adjust the mean to \( k \times \text{Old Mean} \), and adding a constant to all values adjusts it by the same constant . These guidelines ensure accurate mean maintenance post-errors or data transformation.

Quartiles, deciles, and percentiles partition data into equal ordinal segments, with quartiles dividing data into four parts, deciles into ten, and percentiles into a hundred. Quartiles identify medians for each half of the dataset, offering insights into data variability and spread . Deciles and percentiles further refine this granularity, allowing for more detailed distribution analysis and deeper insights into population segments . These measures, particularly percentiles, help identify thresholds and outlier behaviors by showing relative positions within a distribution.

The arithmetic mean is suitable for mathematical treatment because it takes all observations into account and can be easily manipulated for further statistical analysis, such as variance and standard deviation calculations . Despite its limitations with sensitivity to outliers, it provides a foundational average that is essential in the formulation of other statistical models and tests, illustrating its central role in statistical methodologies.

The median, being a positional statistic, is minimally affected by outliers because it depends solely on the middle value (when data is sorted), whereas the mean integrates all values, including extremes, thus skewing it significantly . Median is preferred in skewed distributions or when robust central tendency measures are needed, as it reliably represents the central location without outlier interference, pushing it as the favored choice in certain skewed or non-normally distributed datasets.

Weighted means consider different levels of importance for various data points by assigning weights, calculated as \( \sum \frac{W_i X_i}{\sum W_i} \), where \( W_i \) are the weights . This method offers a refined average reflecting the significance of each observation, crucial in contexts like grading or economic indices where some elements contribute more significantly than others, providing a more accurate representation of central tendency relative to influence.

Calculating quartiles in economic or business data helps in stratified analysis by segmenting data into four equal parts, aiding in the identification of trends and anomalies across segments (e.g., income distributions, sales performance). Quartiles assist in strategic planning by highlighting middle-ground performance, indicating growth opportunities or underlying issues in different quartiles, making them crucial for informed decision-making and strategic insights within competitive or economic analyses.

The combined mean for multiple groups is calculated by taking the weighted sum of each group's mean by its number of observations, then dividing by the total number of observations: \( \frac{\sum n_i X_i}{\sum n_i} \). This method effectively aggregates diverse datasets into a single representative average, facilitating comparative analysis across broad data sets without losing individual group integrity . This process is crucial in statistical analysis where uniform data representation is desired from varied subsets.

Cumulative frequency is used to determine the median by identifying the median class, i.e., where half the population lies, using \( \left( \frac{N}{2} \right) \) to find which class interval encompasses this position . Once identified, the formula \( L + \frac{\left( \frac{N}{2} - c \right)}{f} \times w \) calculates the exact median by interpolating within this class. This approach is vital for determining positional averages, particularly in non-normally distributed datasets, as it accurately reflects data distribution trends.

To calculate the arithmetic mean using frequencies, you sum the products of each value and its corresponding frequency, and then divide by the total sum of frequencies, as shown in \( \sum \frac{f_i X_i}{\sum f_i} \). Without frequencies, the mean is simply the sum of all values divided by the number of values: \( \frac{\sum X_i}{n} \). The inclusion of frequencies accounts for occurrences of each value, while non-frequency calculations treat each value as appearing once.

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