When to Use Measures of Central Tendency

What does the mean measure of central tendency signify and when is it most appropriate to use?

• The mean represents the highest value in the data and is most appropriate to use when the data is skewed to the right.

• The mean represents the lowest value in the data and is most appropriate to use when the data is skewed to the left.

• The mean represents the central value of the data and is most appropriate to use when the data is normally distributed and there are no extreme outliers.

• The mean represents the most frequently occurring value in the data and is most appropriate to use when the data has a wide range of values.

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

Explain the significance of the median measure of central tendency and provide an example of a situation where it is the most suitable measure to use.

• The median is the most suitable measure to use when dealing with temperature data, as it is not affected by extreme weather conditions.

• The median is the most suitable measure to use when dealing with population data, as it is not affected by outliers.

• The median is the most suitable measure to use when dealing with test scores, as it gives equal weight to all scores.

• The median is the most suitable measure to use when dealing with income data, as it is not affected by extreme values such as very high or very low incomes.

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

When is the mode measure of central tendency useful and what does it indicate in a given data set?

• Mode measure is useful for categorical data and indicates the most frequently occurring value.

• Mode measure is useful for numerical data and indicates the average value.

• Mode measure is useful for any type of data and indicates the highest value.

• Mode measure is useful for ordinal data and indicates the middle value.

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

In what scenario would you choose to use the mean as the measure of central tendency over the median and mode?

• When the data is skewed to the right

• When the data is normally distributed and there are no extreme outliers.

• When the data has multiple modes

• When the data has extreme outliers

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.2

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

Describe a real-life situation where the median is a more appropriate measure of central tendency than the mean and mode.

• When the data is evenly distributed

• In a situation where there are no outliers

• When the data is highly skewed

• In a real-life situation where the data contains extreme outliers.

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.2

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

What does it mean when the mean, median, and mode are all equal in a data set? Provide an example.

• It suggests a bimodal distribution

• It indicates a left-skewed distribution

• Symmetrically distributed

• It means the data set is random

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.2

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

Explain the concept of outliers and their impact on the mean, median, and mode measures of central tendency.

• Outliers have no impact on any measure of central tendency.

• Outliers only impact the mode, but not the mean or median.

• Outliers have the same impact on the mean, median, and mode.

• Outliers can greatly impact the mean, but have little effect on the median and mode.

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.2

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

When working with skewed data, which measure of central tendency would you rely on the most and why?

• Median

• Mean because it is the most commonly used measure of central tendency

• Range because it shows the spread of the data

• Mode because it represents the most frequent value in the data

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

Discuss the limitations of using the mean as a measure of central tendency and provide an alternative measure in such cases.

• Variance

• Range

• Mode

• Median

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5

Compare and contrast the use of mean, median, and mode in different types of data distributions such as normal, skewed, and bimodal.

• Mean is best for skewed distributions, median for bimodal distributions, and mode for normal distributions.

• Mean is best for skewed distributions, median for normal distributions, and mode for bimodal distributions.

• Mean is best for bimodal distributions, median for normal distributions, and mode for skewed distributions.

• Mean is best for normal distributions, median for skewed distributions, and mode for bimodal distributions.

Tags

CCSS.6.SP.A.2

CCSS.6.SP.A.3

CCSS.6.SP.B.5