Median
The median of a set of data is the middlemost number or center value in the set.
The median is also the number that is halfway into the set.
To find the median, the data should be arranged, first, either in ascending or
descending order.
A median is a number that is separated by the higher half of a data sample, a
population or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median is different
for different types of distribution.
Generally median represents the mid value of the given set of data when arranged
in a particular order.
Example: The median of 3,4,5 is 4.
Calculating Median:
Median formula is different for even and odd numbers of observations. Therefore, it
is necessary to recognize first if we have odd number of values or even number of
values in a given data set.
1. Formula for ungrouped data
Given that the data collection is arranged in ascending or descending order, the
following method is applied:
● If number of values or observations in the given data is odd, then the median
is given by (n+1 /2)th observation.
● If in the given data set, the number of values or observations is even then
the median is given by the average of (n/2)th and (n2+1)th observation.
Example 1
Let's consider the data: 56, 67, 54, 34, 78, 43, 23.
What is the median?
Solution
Arranging in ascending order, we get: 23, 34, 43, 54, 56, 67, 78.
Here, n (no.of observations) = 7
So,
(7+1)/2=4 Median=4th observation
Median = 54
Example 2
Let's consider the data: 50, 67, 24, 34, 78, 43.
What is the median?
Solution
Arranging in ascending order, we get: 24, 34, 43, 50, 67, 78.
Here, n (no.of observations) = 6
62=362=3
Using the median formula,
Median =(3rd obs.+ 4th obs.) / 2= (43+50) /2= 46.5
Median = 46.5
2. Formula of Median for Continuous Series (or grouped series):
Example 3
Find the median marks for the following distribution:
Classes 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50
Frequency 2 12 22 8 6
Solution
We need to calculate the cumulative frequencies to find the median.
Calculation table:
Classes Number of students Cumulative frequency
0-10 2 2
10-20 12 2 + 12 = 14
20-30 22 14 + 22 = 36
30-40 8 36 + 8 = 44
40-50 6 44 + 6 = 50
N=50
N/2=50/2=25
Median Class
=20−30=20−30
l=20,f=22,c.f=14,h=10
Using Median formula:
Median =l+[(n/2−c)/f]×h
Median = 25
can also say that the value or number in a data set, which has a high frequency or
appears more frequently is called mode or modal value.
A mode is defined as the value that has a higher frequency in a given set of values.
Mod
e
In statistics, the mode is the value which is repeatedly occurring in a given set. We
It is the value that appears the most number of times.
Example: In the given set of data: 2, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, the mode of the data set is 5
since it has appeared in the set twice.
Bimodal, Trimodal & Multimodal (More than one mode):
● When there are two modes in a data set, then the set is called bimodal
For example, The mode of Set A = {2,2,2,3,4,4,5,5,5} is 2 and 5, because both 2
and 5 is repeated three times in the given set.
● When there are three modes in a data set, then the set is called trimodal
For example, the mode of set A = {2,2,2,3,4,4,5,5,5,7,8,8,8} is 2, 5 and 8 ● When
there are four or more modes in a data set, then the set is called
multimodal.
Calculating Mode:
Case 1: Ungrouped Data (Individual and Discrete series)
For ungrouped data, we just need to identify the observation which occurs
maximum times.
Mode = Observation with maximum frequency
For example in the data: 6, 8, 9, 3, 4, 6, 7, 6, 3 the value 6 appears the most
number of times.
Thus, mode = 6.
Case 2: Grouped Data (Continuous Series)
When the data is continuous, the mode can be found using the following steps:
Step 1: Find modal class i.e. the class with maximum frequency.
Step 2: Find mode using the following formula:
Example 1
Find the mode of the given data:
Marks Obtained 0-20 20-40 40-60 60-80 80-100
Number of students 5 10 12 6 3
Solution
The highest frequency = 12, so the modal class is 40-60.
l= lower limit of modal class = 40 fm= frequency
of modal class =12 f1=frequency of class
preceding modal class = 10 f2=frequency of
class succeeding modal class = 6
h=class width = 20
Using the mode formula,
∴ Mode = 45
Mode =l+[(fm−f1/(2fm−f1−f2)]×h=40+[12−10/2×12−10−6]× 20
Relationship among Mean, Median and Mode.
Mode = 3Median – 2 Mean
In nutshell:
Result
Type Description Example
Arithmetic Sum of values of a data set (1 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 7 +
4
mean divided by number of values 9) / 7
Middle value separating the
Median greater and lesser halves of a 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9 3
data set
Most frequent value in a data
Mode 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9 2
set
