MODE
The word mode is made from the French Language „La Mode‟
which means Fashion of System .The value of the variable for which
the frequency is maximum is called mode or modal value & is
denoted by Z or Mo.
According to Zizek, “ Mode is the value of occurring most
frequently in a series (or group )of items and around which other
items are distributed most densely”.
According to Croxton and Cowden, “The mode of a distribution is
the value at the point around which the items tends to be most
heavily concentrated. It may be regarded as the typical of a series of
values”.
Method of Calculation of MODE:
1. Calculation of MODE- Individual Series.
2. Calculation of MODE- Discrete Series(Ungrouped Data).
3. Calculation of MODE- Continuous Series( Grouped Data).
Calculation of Mode- Individual Series
For determining mode count the number of times the various values repeat
themselves and the value occurring maximum number of times is the modal
values.
Example: Calculate mode from the following data of marks obtained by 10
students:
SI.No. Marks Obtained SI.No. Marks Obtained
1 10 6 27
2 27 7 20
3 24 8 18
4 12 9 15
5 27 10 30
Solution:
Size of item Number of times it occurs
10 1
12 1
15 1
18 1
20 1
24 1
27 3
30 1
Total 10
Since the item 27 occurs the maximum number of times ,i.e. 3, hence the
modal marks are 27.
NOTE:
Thus the process of determining mode in case of individual observations
essentially involves grouping of data.
When there are two or more values having the same maximum
frequency, one cannot say which the modal value is & hence mode is
said to be ill defined. Such a series is also known as bi modal or multi
modal.
EXAMPLE: The following are the marks secured by 20 students in a test.
Find the mode of the data.
27 33 21 32 22 43 52 47 50 40
36 36 36 22 32 36 27 24 26 25
Solution: Mode
Marks(X) 21 22 24 25 26 27 32 33 36 40 43 47 50 52
f: 1 2 1 1 1 2 4 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
Modal Items
Here, values 32 occurs the largest number of times (4) hence it is mode.
Calculation of MODE – Discrete Series (Ungrouped Data)
In discrete series, mode can be determined by the following 2 methods:
( a ) By inspection: In this method ,we look at that value of the variable around
which the items are most closely concentrated. Generally, if the distribution is
fairly regular, we look at the highest frequency and find the value of the variable
corresponding to that. Such value is the modal value.
( b) By grouping: It consists of a grouping table having 6 coloumns:
(i) Prepare a grouping table with 6 columns
(ii) Write the size of the item in the margin.
(iii) In column 1, write the frequencies against the respective items.
(iv) In column 2 , the frequencies are grouped in to twos.( 1&2,3 & 4,5 &6and so
on )
(v) In column 3, the frequencies are grouped in twos, leaving the first frequencies.
(vi) In column 4, the frequencies are grouped in threes
(vii) In column 5, the frequencies are grouped in threes, leaving the first frequency.
(viii) In column 6, the frequencies are grouped in threes, leaving the first two
frequencies. In all the process mark down the maximum frequencies by bold
letters or by circle.
(ix) After grouping the frequencies table, an analysis table is prepared to show the
exact size which has the highest frequency.
Example: Calculate mode from the following series:
Value of 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Items
Frequency 5 6 8 7 9 8 9 6
Solution: Here maximum frequency 9 belongs to 2 values of the items 12 & 14.
However due to irregular distribution of frequencies, we use the method of
grouping to decide which one may be considered maximum frequency.
GROUPING TABLE
Value Frequency or sum of Frequencies
of the
Items 1 2 3 4 5 6
(m)
8 5
9 6 11 6+8= 19 6+8
14
10 8 +7= 8+
21
11 7 15 7+9
9+7=16
12 9 =
24
24 9+8 26
13 17 8+
+9 =
8 8+9=17 9+6=
23
14 9
15 6 15
Analysis Table
Values Contributing to the highest frequency
COLUMN NO. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
1 TICK TICK
2 TICK TICK
3 TICK TICK
4 TICK TICK TICK
5 TICK TICK TICK
6 TICK TICK TICK
No. of Times ---- ----- -----
1 2 5 4 3
Since 12 occurs maximum number of times , hence the value of 12 is the mode.
CALCULATION OF MODE---Continuous Series (Grouped Data)
In a continous series to find out the mode, we need one step more than use for
discrete series. In continous series it should be checked before the calculation
of mode that each class interval should be equal.If they are not equal, they
should be equalized.After it there are two steps in the computation of mode:
(1) Determination of Modal Class: It can be be found out by observation or in
case of irregular distribution by grouping method.
(2) Determination of Modal Class: It is calculated by applying the following
formula in modal class:
Z = L1 + (fm − f1 ) * i
2 fm − f1 − f2
Where,
L1 = lower limit of the modal class
fm = frequency of the modal class
f1 = frequency of the class preceeding the modal class
f2 = frequency of the modal class succeeding the modal class
i = (L2 – L1) class interval
Example: Following is the frequency distribution of weights of 60
students:
Weight 30-35 35-40 40-45 45-50 50-55 55-60
( kg)
No. of 3 8 12 20 15 2
students
Find modal value.
Solution: Here the class interval ( 45-50) has the maximum frequency ,i.e. 20 ,
therefore modal class is ( 45 - 50).
Now to calculate the modal value we use the formula
Z = L1 + (fm − f1 ) *i
2 fm − f1 − f2
Again we have, L =45,fm = 20 , f1 = 12 f2 = 15 , i= 5 ;
Thus,
Mode = 45 + (20 – 12) / ( 2*20-12-15 ) *5
Mode,Z = 45 + 3.07 = 48.1 kg ( Ans)
Remarks:
1. If ( 2fm - f1-f2) comes out to be zero, then mode is obtained by the
following formula taking absolute differences within vertical lines.
2. M0 = L1 + ( fm – f1) *i
(fm – f1) + fm - f2
3. If mode lies in the first class interval. Then f0 is taken as zero.
4. The computation of mode poses no problem in distribution with open end
classes, unless the modal value lies in the open end class.
NOTE: It is important that the value of mode would always exist within the class
limits of modal class.If the answer of mode is beyond these limits, the following
alternative formula should be used:
Z = L1 + f2 *i
f0+f2
Determination of Modal class:
For a frequency distribution modal class corresponds to the maximum
frequency.But in any one of the following cases.
(I ) If the maximum frequency is repeated.
( ii) If the maximum frequency occurs in the beginning or at the end of the
distribution.
(iii) If there is a irregularities in the distribution , the modal class is determined by
the method of grouping.
Example: Calculate mode for the following frequency distribution
CI 0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25 25-30 30-35 35-40
F 9 12 15 16 17 15 10 13
Solution: Grouping Table
CI Frequency or sum of all frequencies
1 2 3 4 5 6
0-5 9
5-10 12 21
10-15 15 27
15-20 16 31 36 43 48
20-25 17 33
25-30 15 32 38 42 38
30-35 10 25
35-40 13 23
Analysis Table:
Column 0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-25 25-30 30-35 35-40
1 TICK
2 TICK TICK
3 TICK TICK
4 TICK TICK TICK
5 TICK TICK TICK
6 TICK TICK TICK
Total 1 2 4 5 2
The maximum occurred corresponding to 20-25,hence it is the modal class.
Mode,Z = L1 + (fm − f1 ) *i
2 f m − f1 − f2
Z = 20 + 1 *5 L1=20,fm = 17,f1 = 16, f2= 15 & c= 5
1+2
Z = 20 + 1.67 = 21.67 (Ans)
