Math Lab
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Mean, Median, Mode of Five Numbers

Statistics · Class IX

Slide five data values and watch mean, median, and range respond.

4
type a value
020
7
type a value
020
7
type a value
020
10
type a value
020
Live values
  • Mean7
  • Median (of 4, average of middle two)7
  • Range6
  • Sum28
Live readout
Mean7
Median (of 4, average of middle two)7
Range6
Sum28
x14
x27
x37
x410

Formulas in this lab

  • Mean
    xˉ\bar{x}
  • Median (of 4, average of middle two)
    median\text{median}
  • Range
    max⁡−min⁡\max - \min
  • Sum
    ∑xi\sum x_i
Tip: Mean is pulled toward outliers; median stays steady , that's why journalists prefer the median for income.

Frequently asked questions

▶What are mean, median and mode?

Mean is the arithmetic average: $\bar{x} = \frac{\sum x_i}{n}$. Median is the middle value when data is sorted. Mode is the most frequent value. For 2, 4, 4, 5, 9 the mean is 4.8, median is 4, and mode is 4.

▶How do I use this lab?

Slide five data values. The lab sorts them, computes mean, median and range, and highlights the middle value. Try setting all five equal to see mean = median = mode. Add one outlier to see mean shift while median stays.

▶Common mistake on this topic

Students forget to sort the data before picking the median. The middle of an unsorted list is not the median. Also, with an even count, you must average the two middle values - this lab uses five values to keep it simple.

▶Where do we use averages in real life?

Cricket batting averages, monthly household electricity bills, and class test marks all use the mean. Median income is preferred for fair comparison because one billionaire can pull the mean of a town up sharply.