8-2 Measures of Central

Tendency and Range

MAIN IDEA
Describe a set of data
The number of pennies in each cup represents Jack’s scores for
using mean, median, five math quizzes.
mode, and range.

New Vocabulary
measures of central
tendency 8 7 9 6 10
mean
median Move the pennies among the cups so that each cup has the same
mode number of pennies.
1. What was Jack’s average score for the five quizzes? 8 points
Math Online
2. If Jack scores 14 points on the next quiz, how many pennies would
glencoe.com
be in each cup? 9
• Extra Examples
• Personal Tutor
• Self-Check Quiz A number used to describe the center of a set of data is a measure of
central tendency. The most common of these measures is the mean.

Mean Key Concept

Words The mean of a set of data is the sum of the data divided by
the number of items in the data set. The mean is also referred
to as average.

Examples data set: 1 cm, 1 cm, 5 cm, 2 cm, 2 cm, 4 cm, 2 cm, 5 cm

mean: ___
1+1+5+2+2+4+2+5
or 2.75 cm
8

Find the Mean

1 QUIZ SCORES The table shows the quiz scores Quiz Scores
for 16 students. Find the mean. 47 40 43 45
mean = __
47 + 40 + ... + 44 sum of data 49 41 49 44
16 number of data items
43 41 44 49
= _ or 44.625
714
44 50 41 44
16

a. MONEY Adam earned $14, $10, $12, $15, and $13 by doing chores
around the house. What is the mean amount Adam earned doing
these chores? $12.80

402 Chapter 8 Statistics: Analyzing Data

 Two other common measures of central tendency are median and mode.

Median Key Concept

Vocabulary Link
Median
Everyday Use the middle
paved or planted section of
a highway, as in median
strip.
Math Use the middle
number of the ordered data.
Words In a data set that has been ordered from least to greatest, the
median is the middle number if there is an odd number of
data items. If there is an even number of data items, the
median is the mean of the two numbers closest to the middle.
Example data set: 7 yd, 11 yd, 15 yd, 17 yd, 20 yd, 20 yd
median: _
15 + 17
or 16 yd
The median divides
2 the data in half.

Mode
Words The mode of a set of data is the number that occurs most
often. If there are two or more numbers that occur most often,
all of them are modes.
Example data set: 50 mi, 45 mi, 45 mi, 52 mi, 49 mi, 56 mi, 56 mi
modes: 45 mi and 56 mi

Find the Mean, Median, and Mode

2 MOVIE RENTALS The number Star Struck Movie Rental
of DVDs rented during one Daily DVD Rentals
week at Star Struck Movie S M T W TH F S
Rental is shown in the table. 55 34 35 34 57 78 106
What are the mean, median,
and mode of the data?
mean: ___
55 + 34 + 35 + 34 + 57 + 78 + 106
=_
399
or 57
7 7
median: 34, 34, 35, 55, 57, 78, 106 First, write the data in order.

median
mode: 34 It is the only value that occurs more than once.

The mean is 57 DVDs, the median is 55 DVDs, and the mode is

34 DVDs.

b. BICYCLES The sizes of the bicycles Students’ Bicycle Sizes (in.)

owned by the students in Ms. Garcia’s 20 24 20 26
class are listed in the table. What are the
24 24 24 26
mean, median, and mode of the data?
24 29 26 24
24.25 in., 24 in., 24 in.
c. FOOTBALL The points scored in each game by Darby Middle
School’s football team for 9 games are 21, 35, 14, 17, 28, 14, 7, 21,
and 14. Find the mean, median, and mode. 19, 17, 14

Lesson 8-2 Measures of Central Tendency and Range 403

 3 The maximum length in feet of several whales is listed below.
46, 53, 33, 53, 79
Comparing Measures If the maximum length of the Blue Whale, 98 feet, is added to this
Another way to solve list, which of the following statements would be true?
Example 3 is to find
the measures before A The mode would decrease. C The mean would increase.
98 is added to the data
set. Then find the B The median would decrease. D The mean would decrease.
measures after 98 is
added to the data set.
Then compare.
Read the Item
You are asked to identify which statement would be true if the data
value 98 was added to the data set.

Solve the Item

Use number sense to eliminate possibilities.
The mode, 53, will remain unchanged since the new data value
occurs only once. So, eliminate answer choice A.
Since the new data value is greater than each value in the data set, the
median will not decrease. So, eliminate answer choice B.
The remaining two answer choices refer to the mean. Since 98 is
greater than each value in the data set, the mean will increase, not
decrease. So, the answer is C.

d. If the maximum length of the Orca Whale, 30 feet, is added to the

list in Example 3, which of the following statements would be true?
F The mode would decrease. H The mean would increase. J
G The median would increase. J The mean would decrease.

In addition to the mean, median, and mode, you can also use the range to
describe a set of data. Below are some guidelines for using these measures.

Mean, Median, Mode, and Range Concept Summary

Measure Most Useful When...

Mean · data set has no outliers
Median · data set has outliers
· there are no big gaps in the middle of the data
Mode · data set has many identical numbers
Range · describing the spread of the data

404 Chapter 8 Statistics: Analyzing Data

 Choose Mean, Median, Mode, or Range
Median 4 PLANTS The line plot )FJHIUT
PG
%FTFSU
$BDUJ
GU

When there is an odd shows the height of ×

number of data, the median ×
is the middle number of the desert cacti. Would the ×
ordered set. When there is mean, median, mode, × × ×
an even number of data, ××× × × × × ×
the median is the mean of or range best represent
the two middle numbers. the heights? 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

mean: __
1 + 2 + 2 + ... + 30
or 8.8
14
median: __
7th term + 8th term
= _ or 5
5+5
2 2
mode: 5
range: 30 - 1 or 29
The mean of 8.8 misrepresents the score. The median or mode
represents the height of the cacti well.
e. The mean is $21.50,
the median is $18.50, Board Game Costs ($)
the mode is $40, and
12 15 40 22
the range is $28. The e. GAMES The table shows the cost of
14 40 15 17
mean or median could various board games. Would the
20 18 40 19
be used to represent mean, median, mode, or range best
the data. 16 21 19 16
represent the costs? Explain.

★ indicates multi-step problem

Examples 1, 2 Find the mean, median, and mode for each set of data. Round to the nearest
(pp. 402–403) tenth if necessary.
1. 52.3; 57; 59 1. Miles traveled on the weekend: 29, 14, 80, 59, 78, 30, 59, 69, 55, 50
2. 9.5; 9.5; none 2. 3. .JOVUFT
4QFOU
8BMLJOH
Team Number of Wins
3. 26.5, 25.5, 23 × ×
Eagles 10 × × × × × ×
and 25 × × × × × × × ×
Hawks 8
Zipps 9 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
Falcons 11

Example 3 4. MULTIPLE CHOICE During the week, the daily low temperatures were 52°F,
(p. 404) 45°F, 51°F, 45°F, and 48°F. If Saturday’s low temperature of 51°F is added,
which statement about the data set would be true? C
A The mean would decrease. C The mode would increase.
B The median would decrease. D The mode would decrease.

Example 4 ★ 5. SHOES The line plot shows ×

×
×
(p. 405) the price of athletic shoes. × × × × ×
× × × × × × ×
Which measure best describes × × × × × × × × × ×
the data: mean, median, mode,
45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
or range? Explain. See margin.

Lesson 8-2 Measures of Central Tendency and Range 405

 Find the mean, median, and mode for each set of data. Round to the nearest
HOMEWORK HELP tenth if necessary. 7. 87; 90; 80 and 93 8. 92.7; 91.5; 90
For See
Exercises Examples 6. Number of dogs groomed each week: 65, 56, 57, 75, 76, 66, 64 65.6; 65; none
6–11 1, 2
7. Daily number of boats in a harbor: 93, 84, 80, 91, 94, 90, 78, 93, 80
30–32 3
8. Scores earned on a math test: 95, 90, 92, 94, 91, 90, 98, 88, 89, 100
12–13 4
9. Prices of books: $10, $18, $11, $6, $6, $5, $10, $11, $46, $7, $6, $8 $12; $9; $6
Exercise Levels
A: 6–13 10. 11. 4QSJOHEBMF
.JEEMF
4DIPPM
Cost Number of Coats
B: 14–24 #BTLFUCBMM
4DPSFT
$75 8
C: 25–29 ×
$80 3 × × ×
× ××× ×××× ××× ×
$85 6
36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56
11. 46, 45, 44 $79.40; $80; $75
★ 12. MUSIC The line plot shows the number of weeks that songs have been on
the Top 20 Country Songs list. Would the mean, median, mode, or range
best represent the data? Explain. See margin.

Country Songs
Number of Weeks in Top 20
× × ×
× ×× ××××× × × ××× × × × ×

6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44

13. SPACE Twenty-seven countries have sent people into space. The table
★ shows the number of individuals from each country. Which measure best
describes the data: mean, median, mode, or range? Explain. See margin.

Real-World Link
People in Space
The International 267 1 9 8 1 1 1 1 1
Space Station 97 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 1
measures 356 feet by
290 feet, and contains 11 2 1 1 5 1 1 1 1
almost an acre of Source: The World Almanac
solar panels.
Source: The World Almanac
Find the mean, median, and mode for each set of data. Round to the nearest
tenth if necessary. 14. 6.4, 6.5, 7.2 15. $3.50, $3.50, $3.50
14. Weight in ounces of various insects: 6.1, 5.2, 7.2, 7.2, 3.6, 9.0, 6.5, 7.4, 5.4
15. Prices of magazines: $3.50, $3.75, $3.50, $4.00, $3.00, $3.50, $3.25
16. Daily low temperatures: -2°F, -8°F, -2°F, 0°F, -1°F, 1°F, -2°F, -1°F
-1.9°F, -1.5°F, -2°F
REASONING Determine whether each statement is always, sometimes, or never
true about the data set {8, 12, 15, 23}. Explain your reasoning.
17–19. 17. If a value greater than 23 is added, the mean will increase.
See margin. 18. If a value less than or equal to 8 is added, the mean will decrease.
19. If a value between 8 and 23 is added, the mean will remain unchanged.

406 Chapter 8 Statistics: Analyzing Data

21. Sample answer: DINOSAURS For Exercises 20–22, use the lengths of the dinosaurs
A length of 960 shown below.
inches is much
greater than the
other pieces of
data. So, if this
piece of data is
added, the mean
will increase.
Tyrannosaurus Rex Corythosaurus Parasaurolophus
22. Median or Length: 480 inches Length: 396 inches Length: 480 inches
mode; Mean,
median, or mode; 20. What is the mean length of the dinosaurs? 452 inches
Sample answer: 21. One of the largest dinosaurs ever is the Brachiosaurus. Its length was
The length of the 960 inches. If this data value is added to the lengths of the dinosaurs
Brachiosaurus above, how will it affect the mean? Explain your reasoning.
is an outlier, so
the mean 22. Which measure best describes the data if the length of the Brachiosaurus is
misrepresents the included: mean, median, mode, or range? If the length of the Brachiosaurus
data if this value is not included? Explain any similarities or differences.
is included.
23. SPORTS The table shows the points scored Hawks Lacrosse Team
by a lacrosse team so far this season. The Points Scored
team will play 14 games this season. How 11 15 12 10 10 10 13
many points need to be scored during the
14 13 13 10 15 12
last game so that the average number of
points scored this season is 12? Explain. 10 points; See margin for explanation.

EXTRA PRACTICE 24. FIND THE DATA Refer to the Data File on pages 16–19. Choose some data and
See pages 687, 711.
then describe it using the mean, median, mode, and range. See students’ work.

H.O.T. Problems 25. OPEN ENDED Give an example of a set of data in which the mean is not the
25. Sample answer: best representation of the data set. Explain why not.
4, 5, 2, 2, 3, 3, 1, 0,
1, 2, 4, 68, 5; the 26. Which One Doesn’t Belong? Identify the term that does not have the same
mean, 7.7, is characteristic as the other three. Explain your reasoning.
not the best
mean median range mode
representation
since it is greater
27. REASONING Determine whether the median is sometimes, always, or never
than all the data
items except one. part of the data set. Explain your reasoning. See margin.

26. range; mean, 28. CHALLENGE Without calculating, would the mean, median, or mode be most
median, and mode affected by eliminating 1,000 from the data shown? Which would be the
are used to least affected? Explain your reasoning. See margin.
describe the center 50, 100, 75, 60, 75, 1,000, 90, 100
of data. Range
describes the 29. WR ITING IN MATH According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the typical
spread of the data. number of family members per household is 2.59. State whether this
measure is a mean or mode. Explain how you know. See margin.

Lesson 8-2 Measures of Central Tendency and Range 407

 30. The table below shows the number of 31. An antique dealer purchased
soup labels collected in one week by 5 antiques for a total of $850.00.
each homeroom in grade 7. He later bought another antique
for $758.00. What is the mean cost
Number of
Classroom
Soup Labels
of all the antiques? H
Mr. Martin 138 F $151.60 H $268.00
Ms. Davis 125 G $170.00 J $321.60
Mr. Cardona 89
Mrs. Turner 110 32. Gina found the mean and median of

Mr. Wilhelm 130

the following list of numbers.
Mrs. LaBash ? 5, 7, 7
If the number 11 was added to this list,
Which number could be added to the which of the following statements
set of data in order for the mode and would be true? A
median of the set to be equal? C
A The mean would increase.
A 89 C 125
B The mean would decrease.
B 110 D 130
C The median would increase.
D The median would decrease.

33. TEMPERATURE The table shows record high temperatures for

July Temperatures
Kentucky in July. Make a line plot of the data. (Lesson 8-1)
99 98 96 98 98
See margin.
Find the simple interest earned to the nearest cent for each 97 100 103 103 103
principal, interest rate, and time. (Lesson 7-8) 100 95 100 103 105

34. $1,250, 3.5%, 2 years $87.50

35. $569, 5.5%, 4 months $10.43

36. FOOD The United States produced almost 11 Uses of Apples in the United States
billion pounds of apples in a recent year. Use Juice and
Cider
the information in the graph to find how many 23%
pounds of apples were used to make juice and Canned Fresh
Fruit Fruit
cider. (Lesson 7-1) about 2.53 billion 59%
11%
37. Name the property shown by the statement Other
4 × 6 = 6 × 4. (Lesson 1-8) Commutative (×) 7%
Source: U.S. Apple Association

PREREQUISITE SKILL Name the place value of the underlined digit. (p. 669)

38. 581 hundreds 39. 6,295 ones 40. 4,369 thousands 41. 2.84 tenths

408 Chapter 8 Statistics: Analyzing Data