Mean, median and mode are values that can be frequently encountered in the basic statistical context and in the mathematical calculations that are faced every day. Calculating these values is very simple, but so is confusing their meaning. Read this article to find out how to calculate the mean, median, and mode of a data set.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Media
Step 1. Add all the numbers in the dataset you are studying together
Assume that you need to analyze the following data: 2, 3 and 4. The sum of all the indicated values is equal to: 2 + 3 + 4 = 9.
Step 2. Count the number of values that build your dataset
Continuing with the previous example you are working with 3 numbers.
Step 3. Divide the sum you calculated in the first step by the number of elements in the set
In this case you will have to divide the sum, that is 9, by the number of values of the set you are studying, that is 3, obtaining: 9/3 = 3. The average of your set of values is equal to 3. Remember that not always you will get an integer value as the average of a data set.
Part 2 of 3: Median
Step 1. Sort the series of numbers you want to study in ascending order
Assume that you need to work with the following values: 4, 2, 8, 1 and 15. Sorting the numerical series from the smallest to the largest will give you: 1, 2, 4, 8 and 15.
Step 2. Find the central element of the number series
How to do this depends on whether you are studying a dataset made up of an even or odd number of items. Here is how you will have to behave in both possible scenarios:
- If the dataset consists of an odd number of items, delete the set number that is on the far left, then delete the value that is on the far right and repeat until there is only one value left. This last number represents the median of the dataset you are analyzing. Referring to the set of numbers 4, 7, 8, 11 and 21 it is understood that the median is the number 8, since it represents the central element of the series.
- If the dataset consists of an even number of elements, delete one number at a time from each end of the series until there are only two left. At this point it calculates the average of the remaining values. In the special case where the two remaining values are equal it means that the median is exactly that number. If you are working on the series of numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10, you will need to calculate the average of the values 5 and 3. Adding the numbers in question you will get 5 + 3 = 8. Dividing the sum by the number of elements you will get that the median is equal to 8/2 = 4.
Part 3 of 3: Fashion
Step 1. Make a note of all the values in the set you want to study
Suppose you need to analyze the following series of numbers: 2, 4, 5, 5, 4 and 5. Also in this case it will help you to sort the set of data to be processed in ascending order.
Step 2. Find the number that occurs most frequently within the series of values in question
The fashion of a series of numbers is the element that has the most occurrences within the set. Analyzing the example problem, it is clear that fashion is number 5, given that it occurs 3 times. If within a data set there are two elements with the same frequency, then we speak of a "bimodal" distribution. In the case of a dataset where there are more than two values with the same frequency, the term "multimodal" is used.
