Mean, Median, Mode & Range – Demonstration

This resource provides animated demonstrations of the mathematical method.

Check animations and delete slides not needed for your class.
 Andy is growing flowers.
After 1 week he measures the height of the flowers.
Which group of flowers grew better?
 To compare sets of data we use averages:
a number that is used to represent the whole group.

We could use the middle value of the group.

Using the median average the

red flowers grew better.

Middle Value

Middle Value
 We can represent data (like flower height) using bars instead.

Using the median, which group of flowers grew better?

To help we place the data in size order.

3
2

The pink flowers grew better – they have a better median average.
Is this fair?
 Median
Place data in size order &
select the middle value.

 Ignores outliers
 Does not include every piece of data

What can we do if there are 2 middle values?

The median is between the two middle values.

 Two teams played darts.

Adults: 32 points Kids: 35 points

8 points per player 7 points per player
Which team won?

To be fair, we want to calculate points scored per player, the mean average.

Total Points ÷ Number of Players

Using the mean average the

adults won.
 We can represent scores from a different dart game using bars.

Using the mean, which team won?

5
3 3
2 2 1 1
Total the data and divide it by the quantity.

3
2

The green team won – they have a better mean average.

Is this fair?
 Median
Place data in size order &
select the middle value.

 Ignores outliers
 Does not include every piece of data

Mean
Sum data & divide by
the number of values.

 Includes all data

 Can be distorted by outliers
 Ash was practicing darts.

She scored:

1, 5, 20, 1, 1, 1, 5, 1, 1
Is the mean a good representation of this data?

Mean = 36 ÷ 9 = 4

The mean is larger than most of the scores. This is because of the outlier 20.

Instead we can use the mode average: the most common piece of data.

Mode = 1
 A shop recorded the flowers it sold.

pink, red, red, red, blue, pink, blue, red

Can we calculate a mean or median?

For non-numerical data,

we can calculate the mode: the most common piece of data.

Mode = Red
 Averages: One value to represent the group.

7, 1, 4, 1, 2 4, 5, 0, 2, 9, 1

Mean 7+1+4+1+2 4+5+0+2+9+1

Sum of values divided by quantity 5 6
=3 = 3.5

Median 7, 1, 4, 1, 2 4, 5, 0, 2, 9, 1
The middle value.
2 middle values = take the mean of those. 1, 1, 2, 4, 7 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 9
=2 =3

Mode 7, 1, 4, 1, 2 4, 5, 0, 3, 9, 1
The most common value.
1, 1, 2, 4, 7 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 9
=1 = No Mode
 Mr Smith gave two classes the same science test.
Which class do you think he is more proud of?

Class A Class B
Mean = 34 marks Mean = 33 marks
Median = 32 marks Median = 34 marks
Highest score = 29 marks Highest score = 71 marks
Lowest score = 38 marks Lowest score = 15 marks

Range = 7 marks Range = 56 marks

The mean & median are very similar.

However Class B has a wide range of results.
Class A were more consistent.
 We can represent test results using bars.

Which class was more consistent?

Class X Class Y
Class X has a bigger range:
the difference between the highest result & the lowest result.

A range represents the spread of the data, it is not an average.

 What may be the problem using range?

Class A Class B

A range only considers the highest & lowest values.

The range for Class A is greater, but the class was actually more consistent.
DEMO Calculating MMMR
Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for
this set of data.

place in 1, 0, 6, 2, 1
order

0, 1, 1, 2, 6

Mean = (0+1+1+2+6) ÷ 5
= 10 ÷ 5
= 2
Median = 1

Mode = 1

Range = 6 – 0
= 6
DEMO Calculating MMMR
Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for
this set of data.

place in 7, 2, 4, 3, 9
order

2, 3, 4, 7, 9

Mean = (2+3+4+7+9) ÷ 5
= 25 ÷ 5
= 5
Median = 4

Mode = No Mode

Range = 9 – 2
= 7
DEMO Calculating MMMR
Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for
this set of data.

place in 8, 3, 10, 4, 2, 6, 2
order

2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10

Mean = (2+2+3+4+6+8+10) ÷ 7
= 35 ÷ 7
= 5
Median = 4

Mode = 2

Range = 10 – 2
= 8
DEMO Calculating MMMR
Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for
this set of data.

place in
6, 3, 1, 4, 7, 0, 3, 8
order
0, 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8

Mean = (0+1+3+3+4+6+7+8) ÷ 8
= 32 ÷ 8
= 4
Median = (3+4) ÷ 2
= 3.5
Mode = 3

Range = 8 – 0
= 8
DEMO Calculating MMMR YOUR TURN

Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for
this set of data. this set of data.

place in
6, 3, 1, 4, 7, 0, 3, 8 place in
3, 1, 5, 1, 1, 3, 7
order order
0, 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 7

Mean = (0+1+3+3+4+6+7+8) ÷ 8 Mean = (1+1+1+3+3+5+7) ÷ 7

= 32 ÷ 8 = 21 ÷ 7
= 4 = 3
Median = (3+4) ÷ 2 Median = 3
= 3.5
Mode = 3 Mode = 1

Range = 8 – 0 Range = 7 – 1
= 8 = 6
DEMO Calculating MMMR YOUR TURN

Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for
this set of data. this set of data.

place in
6, 3, 1, 4, 7, 0, 3, 8 place in
5, 9, 0, 2, 11, 4, 1, 8
order order
0, 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11

Mean = (0+1+3+3+4+6+7+8) ÷ 8 Mean = (0+1+2+4+5+8+9+11) ÷ 8

= 32 ÷ 8 = 40 ÷ 8
= 4 = 5
Median = (3+4) ÷ 2 Median = (4+5) ÷ 2
= 3.5 = 4.5
Mode = 3 Mode = No Mode

Range = 8 – 0 Range = 11 – 0
= 8 = 11
DEMO Calculating MMMR YOUR TURN

Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for
this set of data. this set of data.

place in
6, 3, 1, 4, 7, 0, 3, 8 place in
6, 5, 1, 5, 7, 1, 3, 8
order order
0, 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 6, 7, 8

Mean = (0+1+3+3+4+6+7+8) ÷ 8 Mean = (1+1+3+5+5+6+7+8) ÷ 8

= 32 ÷ 8 = 36 ÷ 8
= 4 = 4.5
Median = (3+4) ÷ 2 Median = (5+5) ÷ 2
= 3.5 =5
Mode = 3 Mode = No Mode

Range = 8 – 0 Range = 8 – 1
= 8 = 7
DEMO Calculating MMMR YOUR TURN

Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for Find the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for
this set of data. this set of data.

place in
6, 3, 1, 4, 7, 0, 3, 8 10,
place in
4, 5, 7, 4, 8, 16, 4, 5
order order
0, 1, 3, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 8, 10, 16

Mean = (0+1+3+3+4+6+7+8) ÷ 8 Mean = (4+4+4+5+5+7+8+10+16) ÷ 9

= 32 ÷ 8 = 63 ÷ 9
= 4 = 7
Median = (3+4) ÷ 2 Median = 5
= 3.5
Mode = 3 Mode = 4

Range = 8 – 0 Range = 16 – 4
= 8 = 12
 Calculate the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for each set of data.

A 1 2 2 3 7 B 1 4 6 8 5 2 2

Mean = 3 Median = 2 Mean = 4 Median = 4

Mode = 2 Range = 6 Mode = 2 Range = 7

8 10 9 7 8 4 3 5 2
C D
3 0 5 6 3 6 1 0 3
Mean = 6 Median = 6.5 Mean = 3.5 Median = 3
Mode = No Mode Range = 10 Mode = 3 Range = 8

−5 7 8 13 5 23 21 24 20 22 20
E F
0 6 −10 3 20 23 22 24 21 24
Mean = 3 Median = 5 Mean = 22 Median = 22
Mode = No Mode Range = 23 Mode = No Mode Range = 4
Calculate the Mean, Median, Mode & Range for each set of data. (1dp)

A 5 5 6 8 9 B 15 6 4 8 12 6 10

Mean = 6.6 Median = 6 Mean = 8.7 Median = 8

Mode = 5 Range = 4 Mode = 6 Range = 11

9.5 8 1.5 7 9 11 5.5 7.2 24.8

C D
4 16 2 11 7.2 16 8.4 13.5 10.4
Mean = 7.4 Median = 7.5 Mean = 11.3 Median = 9.7
Mode = No Mode Range = 14.5 Mode = 7.2 Range = 19.3

−6.6 0.7 8.2 9.9 4.7 58 50 60 52 57

E F
4.2 6 −7.8 −13.4 52 57 56 58 50
Mean = 0.7 Median = 4.2 Mean = 55 Median = 56.5
Mode = No Mode Range = 23.3 Mode = No Mode Range = 10
 Questions?
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…or have you found a mistake!?

Any feedback would be appreciated .

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tom@goteachmaths.co.uk