Mean

Definition
Objectives
Properties
Prerequisites
Merits and Demerits

Definition
Mean is an attempt to find one single
figure to describe whole of figures Clark

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Objectives
To get single value that describes the
characteristic of entire group
To facilitate comparison measures of
central value

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Properties
1. The sum of the deviations of the item from
the arithmetic mean is always zero.
i.e.,

(X-X) = 0

2. The Sum of the squired deviations of the

items from the arithmetic mean is minimum.
2

i.e.,

(X-any value) > (X-X)

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

3. If we replace each item in the series by the mean,

then sum of these substitutions will be equal to the
sum of the individual items
i.e., If X=150 and N = 5 then
30+30+30+30+30 =150
Combined arithmetic mean can be computed by
(N1 X
1 + 2N2 X )/(N
1 2+ N )

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Requisites of a Good Average

Easy to Understand
Simple to compute
Based all Items
Not be unduly affected by extreme
values
Rigidly defined
Capable of further algebraic
treatments
Sampling Stability
Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Merits
Simplest and Easiest to compute

Affected by the value of every item

Rigid Mathematical Formula
Subsequent algebraic treatment
Balancing the values
Not based on position
Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Demerits
Can not be calculated for an open end classes
Not a good measure just a characteristic

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Objectives
To get single value that describes the
characteristic of entire group
To facilitate comparison measures of
central value

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Properties
1. The median for any set of data divides it into two
equal halves. One half consists of observations
smaller than the median. Observations in the
other half are larger than the median.

2. The Sum of the absolute deviations of the items

from the median is minimum.
i.e.,

(X-any value) > (X-Md)

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

4. Median is determined by the position or

location of observations in the array, and
not by their size or magnitude.
5. Median is not affected by the extreme
values in the data.

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Merits
1. Simplest and Easiest to compute

2. Useful in case of open ended distribution

3. Not influenced by extreme values

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Demerits
1. Since median is a positional average, its value is
not determined by each and every observation.
2. Not capable for further algebraic treatment.
3. Not a good measure just a characteristic
4. Less reliable average for estimation purposes.

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Demerits
5. Median tends to be rather unstable value if
the number of observations are small.

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Mode
Definition
Objectives
Properties
Merits and Demerits

Objectives
To get single value that describes the
characteristic of entire group
To facilitate comparison measures of
central value

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

Merits
1. Simplest and Easiest to compute

2. Useful in case of open ended distribution

3. Not influenced by extreme values
4. Useful in case of qualitative data.
Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis

De-Merits
1. Not Rigidly defined measure
2. Values cannot be computed in case of bimodal distribution

Copyright 2000 by Monica Yuskaitis