MEASURES OF

CENTRAL TENDENCY

PRESENTATION BY:
DR DHARUV
 AVERAGE

• Condensation of data in to single value

mostly it is at centre & it carries
important properties of data. Also
known as MEASURES OF LOCATION
or CENTRING CONSTANT.
Different measures of central
tendency

1. Mean : 1. Arithmetic mean

2. Harmonic mean
3. Geometric mean
4. Weighted mean
2. Median :
3. Mode:
4. Quartiles:
5. Average:
 Desirable properties of central
tendency

1. Should be rigidly defined.

2. Computation should be based on all
observations.
3. Should lend itself for algebric
treatment.
4. Should be least affected by extreme
observations .
 Arithmetic mean

• It is commonly used measure of central

tendency.
• It is sum all observations divided by
number of observations
 For ungrouped data

• Mean of ‘n’ observations x1,x2…….xn is

given by
• A.M = X1+X2+…….+Xn
n
• = sum of observations
Number of observations
 Example:

• 61, 58, 62, 67, 65, 68, 70, 69.

X=61+58+62+67+65+68+70+69
8
= 65
 Short cut method /
Assume mean method

• When observations in data are large in

size, it is laborious work to find mean.
To avoid this it is used.
• Assume arbitrary mean i.e. any value
from data (a).
 Short cut method /
Assume mean method

• Subtract this assumed mean from each

observation . We get what is k/a
differences/deviations (d).
• Obtain mean for deviations by usual method.
• Mean for original data obtained by adding
mean of deviations to assumed mean.
 FORMULA AND EXAMPLE:
obs X-a d
1420 1420-1405 15
1405 1405-1405 0
1425 1425-1405 20
1410 1410-1405 5
1415 1415-1405 10
1435 1435-1405 30
1430 1430-1405 25
1415 1415-1405 10
1445 1445-1405 40
 CONTINUOUS FREQUENCY
DISTRIBUTION:

• As we know, frequency distribution, the

frequency is not associated with any specified
single value but spread over entire class. It
creates difficulty for finding values x1, x2,
…..xn. To overcome this difficulty we make
reasonable assumption that the frequency is
associated with mid values of class or the
frequency is distributed uniformly over the
class.
• From this we assume mid values as x1,
x2…..xn. Of intervals and calculate
arithmetic mean
• x= sum fx
f
 METHOD:

• Write all class interval in 1st column and

corresponding frequency in 2nd column.
• Mid values of Class interval = lower+ upper cl.interval
2
which is put in 3rd column.
• Multiply each “f” by corresponding “x” and write this
product in 4th column.
• Addition of this column gives “fx”.
 EXAMPLE:
Age int No death Mid value Fx
0-10 16 5 80
11-20 9 15 135
21-30 20 25 500
31-40 11 35 385
41-50 7 45 315
51-60 12 55 660
61-70 9 65 585
71-80 4 75 800
81-90 2 85 170
 SHORT CUT METHOD:

• If values of variables are large in size,

finding the mean is laborious. In that
• 1: any value from data is chosen called
as assumed mean (a)
 SHORT CUT METHOD:

• 2: take difference of assumed mean and

mid values k/as deviation or differences
(d)
• 3: multiply each “d” by corresponding “f”
• 4: calculate “bar d” by using formula
• 5: now original mean “bar x = a+ bar d”
 EXAMPLE:
Wt in kg No child Deviation Fd
38 6 0 0
39 11 1 11
40 16 2 32
41 19 3 38
42 20 4 80
43 8 5 40
44 6 6 36
45 4 7 28
 MERITS OF A.M:

• Though it seems to be best measure of central

tendency it has certain limitations.
• 1: it is easy to calculate and understand.
• 2: it is based on all observations.
• 3: it is familiar to common man and rigidly defined.
• 4: it is capable of further mathematical treatment.
• 5: it is least affected by sampling fluctuations hence
more stable.
 DEMERITS OF A.M:

• 1:Used only for quantitative data not for

qualitative data like caste, religion, sex.
• 2:Unduly affected by extreme observation.
• 3: Can’t be used open ended frequency
distribution.
• 4:sometimes A.M may not be an observation
in data.
• 5:Can’t be determined graphically.
MEAN OF COMBINED GROUP:

• Sometimes it is necessary to compute

mean of two groups combined together.
• If sizes & groups are known
• Xc = n1x1+n2x2
n1+n2
 GEOMETRIC MEAN(GM)

• When data contains few extremely large

or small values in such case arithmetic
mean is unsuitable for data
• GM of n observation is defined as ‘n’th
root of the product of n observation
 HARMONIC MEAN:

• It is reciprocal of arithmetic mean of

reciprocal observations.
 WEIGHTED MEAN :

• We are considering that each item in data is of equal

importance. Sometimes , this is not true, some item is
more important than others. In such cases the usual
mean is not good representative of data. Therefore
we are obtaining weighted mean by assigning
weights to each item according to their importance.
• Xw =sum(wx)
sum(w)
• Ex……………
 MEDIAN:

• Def: when all the observation of a variable

are arranged in either ascending or
descending order the middle observation is
k/a median.
• It divides whole data into equal portion. In
other words 50% observations will be smaller
than the median and 50% will be larger than
it.
 COMPUTATION:

• Ungrouped data……………..
 Grouped data:

1. Obtain class boundaries.

2. Find less than cumulative frequencies of all the
classes in data.
3. Compute N/2 and compare this quantity with
less than cumulative frequencies. Choose less
than cumulative frequency (CF) which is equal
to or just exceeds the N/2. the class
corresponding to this less than CF is k/a
median class in which median lies.
 Grouped data:

1. Apply the formula and

find mean

median = I+N/2-CFxh
f
 Grouped data:

I = lower boundary of median class

N = total frequency
C.F = less than cumulative
frequency of the class previous to the
median class
f = frequency of median class
h= class width
 Grouped data:

No of infants
Wt in kg
2.0-2.4 37
2.5-2.9 117
3.0-3.4 207
3.5-3.9 155
4.0-4.4 48
4.5&above
26
 GRAPHICAL METHOD:

• The median can be obtained graphically from

the ogive curve. For this, plot “ less than” for
the given frequency distribution. Calculate the
value of N/2 and locate it on “Y” axis. Draw a
line from this point which is parallel to “X” axis
to meet the ogive curve. From the point of
intersection drop perpendicular on X axis
• Here median = value where perpendicular
cuts X axis.
 MERITS:

• Easy to understand & calculate.

• It can be computed for a distribution with
open end classes.
• It is not affected d/t extreme observation.
• Applicable for qualitative and quantitative
data.
• Can be determined graphically.
 DEMERITS:

1. It is not based on all observations,

hence it is not proper representative.
2. Not rigidly defined as A.M.
3. Not capable of further mathematical
treatment.
 MODE:

• The observation which occurs most

frequently in a series is k/a MODE.
 Ungrouped data:

• Mode is obtained by inspection.

 GROUPED DATA:

1. Obtain class boundaries.

2. Locate the model class is the class
which has maximum frequency.
3. Find mode by using formula.
Mode =I+Fm-F1 h
2Fm-F1-F2
 GROUPED DATA:

Where,
I=lower boundary of modal class
Fm =frequency of modal class
F1=frequency of pre modal class
F2=frequency of post modal class
h=width of modal class
 Example:

• ……………..
• Procedure applicable to unimodal
distribution only.
• Mode can’t be determined if modal
class is at the extreme.
 GRAPHICAL METHOD:

• Graphical demonstration can be made

by plotting histogram.
 MERITS:

• As compared with mean & median mode

has very limited utility
1. It is applicable for qualitative & quantitative
type of data.
2. It is not affected by extreme observations.
3. It can be determined even though
distribution has open end classes.
4. It can be obtain graphically.
 EMPERICAL RELATION:

MEAN-MODE=3(MEAN-MEDIAN)
 PARTITION VALUES:

• The values which divide the given data

in to number of equal parts are called
the partition values.
• The most commonly used partition
values are QUARTILES, QUINTILES,
DECILES.
 QUARTILES:

• The values which divide the given data in to four

equal parts when observations are arranged in order
of magnitude are k/a quartiles.
obviously there will be three quartiles Q1,Q2 &
Q3.
Q1(1st quartile):25%below &75%above
Q2(2nd quartile): same as median 50% above &
below
Q3(3rd quartile):75%below &25% above
 QUINTILES & DECILES:

• Quintiles : It contains four points so it

will divide data in to five equal parts.
• Deciles : it contain 9 points & it will
divide data in to ten equal parts.
• HAVE
A
NICE
DAY!