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    Central Tendency

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    Muna Hassan Mustafa
    Measures of central tendency describe the typical or average value in a data set. There are three main measures: the mode, median, and mean. The mode is the most frequently occurring value. The median is the middle value when values are arranged from lowest to highest. The mean is the average, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the total number of data points. Choosing which measure to use depends on the type of variable (nominal, ordinal, interval) and the shape of its distribution. The mode is used for nominal variables. For ordinal or skewed interval variables, the median is best since it is not affected by outliers like the mean. For symmetric interval variables, the mean,

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    Central Tendency

    Uploaded by

    Muna Hassan Mustafa
    63 views30 pages
    Measures of central tendency describe the typical or average value in a data set. There are three main measures: the mode, median, and mean. The mode is the most frequently occurring value. The median is the middle value when values are arranged from lowest to highest. The mean is the average, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the total number of data points. Choosing which measure to use depends on the type of variable (nominal, ordinal, interval) and the shape of its distribution. The mode is used for nominal variables. For ordinal or skewed interval variables, the median is best since it is not affected by outliers like the mean. For symmetric interval variables, the mean,

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    biostatistics2

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    Measures of central tendency describe the typical or average value in a data set. There are three main measures: the mode, median, and mean. The mode is the most frequently occurring value. The median is the middle value when values are arranged from lowest to highest. The mean is the average, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the total number of data points. Choosing which measure to use depends on the type of variable (nominal, ordinal, interval) and the shape of its distribution. The mode is used for nominal variables. For ordinal or skewed interval variables, the median is best since it is not affected by outliers like the mean. For symmetric interval variables, the mean,

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    63 views30 pages

    Central Tendency

    Uploaded by

    Muna Hassan Mustafa
    Measures of central tendency describe the typical or average value in a data set. There are three main measures: the mode, median, and mean. The mode is the most frequently occurring value. The median is the middle value when values are arranged from lowest to highest. The mean is the average, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the total number of data points. Choosing which measure to use depends on the type of variable (nominal, ordinal, interval) and the shape of its distribution. The mode is used for nominal variables. For ordinal or skewed interval variables, the median is best since it is not affected by outliers like the mean. For symmetric interval variables, the mean,

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 30

    Biostatistics

    Measures of Central Tendency


    1

    Central Tendency

    Central Tendency

    Measures of Central Tendency

    Central Tendency Definition: The most common value (for nominal variables) or the value around which cases tend to cluster (for ordinal and interval-ratio variables) Central Tendency Simplified Definition: A number that represents what is typical, average, or in the middle

    Measures of Central Tendency


    Mode Median Mean

    The one that is to use depends on the situation

    Mode

    Definition: The most frequently occurring value of a variable


    Levels of Measurement
    Nominal Ordinal Interval-ratio

    Comment: The mode is a value, not a frequency!

    Mode in a Frequency Distribution

    Mode is the value with the largest frequency or percentage


    Colour of eyes Brown Black Grey Frequency (f) Percentage (%) 247 145 37 50.2% 29.5% 7.5%
    Mode = O

    Blue
    Total

    63
    492

    12.8%
    100.0%

    Mode in a Bar Graph

    The mode is the value with the tallest bar

    300 200 100 0 brown black grey AB

    Mode = brown

    Mode in a Pie Chart

    The mode is the value with the largest slice

    brown black grey blue

    Mode = brown

    Mode in a Histogram

    The mode is the value with the tallest bar


    Brown

    Black

    Blue Grey

    Colour

    Mode = 0

    Mode: Potential Problems

    Problem 1: Mode might not fall near the center of the distribution for an interval-ratio variable

    The mode is here

    Wed like the mode to be here

    Mode: Potential Problems

    Problem 2: There might be more than one mode


    Bimodal:

    Two modes
    Frequency Percentage (f) (%) 155 121 31.5% 24.6%
    Two Modes: brown and blue

    Body Modification

    Brown Grey

    Blue
    Black Total

    61
    155 492

    12.4%
    31.5% 100.0%
    10

    Median

    Definition: The middle number in the distribution of a variable when its values are placed in order Levels of Measurement
    Ordinal Interval-ratio

    Comment: The median divides the distribution of a variable in half


    Half Half

    of the cases will be above the middle number of the cases will be below the middle number
    11

    Determining the Median

    Interval-Ratio Variable
    Odd

    Number of Cases: The median is the middle number Even Number of Cases: The median is the average of the two middle numbers

    12

    Median: Example Data


    Table 1. age of people Person number 1 2 Age in years 43 57
    Table 2. duration of study per student

    Student number
    1 2 3 4 5 6

    Hours / week
    0 10 12 12 5 12

    3
    4 5

    45
    68 51

    6
    7 8 9

    26
    13 1 24

    7
    8 9 10

    1
    12 5 11
    13

    Median: Interval-Ratio Variable, Odd Number of Cases

    Example: age of people (Table 1)


    Steps: Illustrated on next slide

    Step 1: Arrange the values in order from smallest to largest Step 2: Assign case numbers from 1 to N Step 3: Find the middle case by adding 1 to N and diving by 2

    Here, (N+1)/2 = (9+1)/2 = 10/2 = 5 The fifth case (not the number 5!) has the median Here the 5th case has a value of 43

    Step 4: Find the value corresponding to the middle case

    Note: The median of 43 divides the distribution in half


    Four cases are above the median Four cases are below the median
    14

    Median: Interval-Ratio Variable, Odd Number of Cases

    Step 1: Arrange the values in order from smallest to largest


    1 1 13 2 24 3 26 4 43 5 45 6 51 7 57 8 68 9

    Variable Value Case Number


    Step 2: Number the values from 1 to 9 Step 3: Find the middle case: (9+1)/2 = 10/2 = 5 Step 4: Find the value for the 5th case this is the median = 43 Note: 4 cases are above, and 4 are below, the median
    15

    Median: Interval-Ratio Variable, Even Number of Cases

    Example: Metallica CDs Owned (Table 2)


    Steps: Illustrated on next slide

    Step 1: Arrange the values in order from smallest to largest Step 2: Assign case numbers from 1 to N Step 3: Find the middle case by adding 1 to N and diving by 2

    Here, (N+1)/2 = (10+1)/2 = 11/2 = 5.5 The median is the average of the 5th and 6th cases Here the 5th case has a value of 10 and the 6th case has a value of 11 The median is (10+11)/2 = 10.5

    Step 4: Find the average of the two middle cases


    Note: The median of 10.5 divides the distribution in half


    Five cases are above the median Five cases are below the median
    16

    Median: Interval-Ratio Variable, Even Number of Cases

    Step 1: Arrange the values in order from smallest to largest

    Variable Value Case Number

    0 1

    1 2

    5 3

    5 4

    10 5

    11 6

    12 7

    12 8

    12 9

    12 10

    Step 2: Number the values from 1 to 10

    Step 3: Find the middle case: (10+1)/2 = 11/2 = 5.5 (average of the 5th and 6th cases)
    Step 4: Find average of the 5th and 6th cases the median is (10+11)/2 = 10.5 Note: 5 cases are above, and 5 are below, the median
    17

    Median in a Frequency Distribution

    Median: Value of the variable where the cumulative percentage is 50%


    Here the cumulative percentage hits 50% at a value of 3 So the median number of hours of study is 3
    Frequency 137 56 48 75 42 15 68 150 591 Percentage 23.2% 9.5% 8.1% 12.7% 7.1% 2.5% 11.5% 25.4% 100.0% Cumulative Percentage 23.2% 32.7% 40.8% 53.5% 60.6% 63.1% 74.6% 100.0%
    18

    Hours of study 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total

    Mean

    Definition: The average obtained by summing the values of a variable divided by the number of cases

    Level of Measurement: Interval-ratio


    Comments
    It It

    incorporates all values of a variable

    Unlike the mode and median

    can be misleading when there are outlying (extreme) values


    19

    Mean: Formula for a Data Table

    =x n

    represents the mean Y tells us to sum or add up x represents each value of the variable n represents the number of cases

    20

    Mean: Calculating for a Data Table

    Example: hours of study

    = x = 0 + 1+ 5+5+10+11+12+12+12+12 = 6.8 n 10

    People in this sample study for an average of 6.8 hours


    21

    Mean: Formula for a Frequency Distribution


    =f*x n

    represents the mean tells us to sum or add up f represents the frequency for each value of the variable x represents each value of the variable f*x tells us to multiply the frequency (f) by the value (Y) n represents the number of cases
    22

    Mean: Calculating for a Frequency Distribution

    Example: hours of study


    Hours of study(x) 0 1 2 Frequency (f) 137 56 48 fx 1370 = 561 = 482 = 0 56 96

    3
    4 5

    75
    42 15

    753 =
    424 = 155 =

    225
    168 75

    6
    7

    68
    150 N = 591

    686 =

    408

    1507 = 1,050
    23

    Mean: Calculating for a Frequency Distribution

    Example: hours of study(continued)

    = 0+ 56+96+225+ 168+ 75+408+1078 = 2078 591 591 People in this sample study for an average of 3.52 hours

    24

    Outlying Value

    Definition: A value that is very small or large relative to other values of the variable
    Effect of Outlying Value
    Mode:

    Usually has no effect Median: Usually has no effect Mean: May have an effect
    25

    Outlying Value: Potential Effect on Mean

    Example: hours of study


    Suppose

    one student study for 112 (instead of 12) hours = x = 0 + 1+ 5+5+10+11+12+12+12+112 = 168 n 10 10
    The

    mean is now 16.8

    26

    Determining Skewness: Using the Mean and Median

    Procedure
    Compare

    the mean and median or Subtract the median from the mean
    Mean Median

    Symmetric Distribution
    Comparison:

    Mean equals median Mean Median: Difference is zero


    27

    Mean Median Mode

    28

    Determining Skewness: Using the Mean and Median

    Positively Skewed Distribution


    Comparison:

    Mean greater than median Mean Median: Difference is positive


    Greater than zero

    Negatively Skewed Distribution


    Comparison:

    Mean smaller than median Mean Median: Difference is negative


    Less than zero
    29

    Choosing a Measure of Central Tendency

    Nominal Variable: Mode only


    Ordinal Variable: Median is best
    Mode

    is also possible

    Interval-Ratio Variable
    Symmetric Distribution: Mean is typically used Positively

    Any will work

    or Negatively Skewed Distribution: Median


    30

    is best

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