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Mean Median Mode

Arithmetic Mean Definition

Arithmetic mean represents a number that is obtained by dividing the sum of the elements of a set by the
number of values in the set. So you can use the layman term Average, or be a little bit fancier and use the
word “Arithmetic mean” your call, take your pick -they both mean the same. The arithmetic mean may be
either

 Simple Arithmetic Mean


 Weighted Arithmetic Mean

Arithmetic Mean Formula

If any data set consisting of the values b1, b2, b3, …., bn then the arithmetic mean B is defined as:

B = (Sum of all observations)/ (Total number of observation)

Properties of Arithmetic Mean

Some important properties of the arithmetic mean are as follows:

The sum of deviations of the items from their arithmetic mean is always zero, i.e. ∑(x – X) = 0.
The sum of the squared deviations of the items from Arithmetic Mean (A.M) is minimum, which
is less than the sum of the squared deviations of the items from any other values.
If each item in the arithmetic series is substituted by the mean, then the sum of these replacements
will be equal to the sum of the specific items.

Frequently Asked Questions on Arithmetic Mean

What is meant by the arithmetic mean?

The arithmetic mean or mean is the simplest way to calculate the average for the given set of numbers. It
is classified into two different types, namely simple arithmetic mean and weighted arithmetic mean.

How to calculate the arithmetic mean?

The arithmetic mean is defined as the ratio of the sum of all the given observations to the total number of
observations. For example, if the data set consists of 5 observations, the arithmetic mean can be
calculated by adding all the 5 given observations divided by 5.

How to find the arithmetic mean between 2 numbers?

Add the two given numbers and then divide the sum by 2. For example, 2 and 6 are the two numbers, the
arithmetic mean is calculated as follows:

Arithmetic Mean = (2+6)/2 = 8/2 = 4


Why is arithmetic mean considered to be the best measure of central tendency?

To calculate the central tendency for the given data set, we use different measures like mean, median,
mode and so on. Among all these measures, the arithmetic mean or mean is considered to be the best
measure, because it includes all the values of the data set. If any value changes in the data set, this will
affect the mean value, but it will not be in the case of median or mode.

Can arithmetic mean be negative?

Yes, the arithmetic mean can be negative. The data can be distributed anywhere. So, the mean value can
be negative or positive or zero.

Geometric Mean Definition

In Mathematics, the Geometric Mean (GM) is the average value or mean which signifies the central
tendency of the set of numbers by finding the product of their values. Basically, we multiply the numbers
altogether and take out the nth root of the multiplied numbers, where n is the total number of values. For
example: for a given set of two numbers such as 3 and 1, the geometric mean is equal to √(3+1) = √4 = 2.

Geometric Mean Formula

The formula to calculate the geometric mean is given below:

The Geometric Mean (G.M) of a series containing n observations is the nth root of the product of the
values.

Geometric Mean Properties

Some of the important properties of the G.M are:

The G.M for the given data set is always less than the arithmetic mean for the data set
If each object in the data set is substituted by the G.M, then the product of the objects remains
unchanged.
The ratio of the corresponding observations of the G.M in two series is equal to the ratio of their
geometric means
The products of the corresponding items of the G.M in two series are equal to the product of their
geometric mean.

Harmonic Mean Definition

The Harmonic Mean (HM) is defined as the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean of the given data values. It
is based on all the observations, and it is rigidly defined. Harmonic mean gives less weightage to the large
values and large weightage to the small values to balance the values correctly. In general, the harmonic
mean is used when there is a necessity to give greater weight to the smaller items. It is applied in the case
of times and average rates.
Harmonic Mean Formula

Since the harmonic mean is the reciprocal of the arithmetic mean, the formula to define the harmonic
mean “HM” is given as follows:

If x1, x2, x3,…, xn are the individual items up to n terms, then,

Harmonic Mean, HM = n / [(1/x1)+(1/x2)+(1/x3)+…+(1/xn)]

Merits and Demerits of Harmonic Mean

The following are the merits of the harmonic mean:

 It is rigidly confined.
 It is based on all the views of a series, i.e. it cannot be computed by ignoring any item of a series.
 It is able to advance the algebraic method.
 It provides a more reliable result when the results to be achieved are the same for the various
means adopted.
 It provides the highest weight to the smallest item of a series.
 It can also be measured when a series holds any negative value.
 It produces a skewed distribution of a normal one.
 It produces a curve straighter than that of the A.M and G.M.

Relationship Between Arithmetic Mean, Geometric Mean and Harmonic Mean:

The three means such as arithmetic mean, geometric mean, harmonic means are known as Pythagorean
means. The formulas for three different types of means are:

MEDIAN

The median is the middle number in a sorted, ascending or descending, list of numbers and can be more
descriptive of that data set than the average. The median is sometimes used as opposed to the mean when
there are outliers in the sequence that might skew the average of the values.

Median Properties

In statistics, the properties of the median are explained in the following points.

Median is not dependent on all the data values in a dataset.


The median value is fixed by its position and is not reflected by the individual value.
The distance between the median and the rest of the values is less than the distance from any
other point.
Every array has a single median.
Median cannot be manipulated algebraically. It cannot be weighed and combined.
In a grouping procedure, the median is stable.
Median is not applicable to qualitative data.
The values must be grouped and ordered for computation.
Median can be determined for ratio, interval and ordinal scale.
Outliers and skewed data have less impact on the median.

MODE

In statistics, the mode is the value which is repeatedly occurring in a given set. We 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.

Definition

A mode is defined as the value that has a higher frequency in a given set of values. 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.

Statistics deals with the presentation, collection and analysis of data and information for a particular
purpose. To represent this data, we use tables, graphs, pie-charts, bar graphs, pictorial representation and
so on. After the proper organization of the data, it must be further analyzed to infer some useful
information from it.
Properties of Mode:

The main properties of mode in statistics are:-

1. The mode is used when the most typical case is desired.

2. The mode is the easiest average to compute.

3. The mode can be used when the data are nominal or categorical, such as religious preference, gender,
or political affiliation.

4. The mode is not always unique. A data set can have more than one mode, or the mode may not exist for
a data set.

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