Mean, Median, Mode

Working with Grouped Data

1
Class Intervals
When there is a large range of data, it can be collected
into equal class intervals (classes). The number of
intervals is usually between 5 and 20.
Class Limits

2
Class Width (Class length/ class size)
Use True Class limits to calculate class width: eg
19 15 = 4 which is not correct
but 19.5 14.5 = 5 which is the correct width.
Note: all classes must be the same width if measures
like mode etc. are to be meaningful.
Intervals with an odd numbered width are easier to
work with, since the class midpoint (class centre, class
score, class mark!!) is used in calculations.
Class Midpoint upper class lim it lower class lim it
Class Midpo int
2
You can use True Class Limits or Stated Class Limits to
calculate this. ( best to use True for consistency.)

3
 Example Computing the Mode and Mean for
Grouped Data
To calculate the
Interval f CF xM fxM mean use the
51-60 3 3 55.5 166.5 class center or
midpoint.
61-70 4 7 65.5 262.0
71-80 11 18 75.5 830.5 fxM
x
81-90 7 25 85.5 598.5 f
Total 25 1857.5 1857.5
x
25
The highest frequency is 11. This goes with a
class of 71-80. The modal class is 71-80.
= 74.3

4
Example Computing the Median for Grouped
Data
n 1
The median position =
2
Interval f CF 25 1

2
51-60 3 3
=13th
61-70 4 7
The 13th score is required. A
71-80 11 18 cumulative frequency column can help
you find this.
81-90 7 25
The median class is 71-80
Total 25 Problem: Often a single median score
is needed rather than a median class.

5
You can interpolate the median from the table
with grouped data using the formula

i
Median L C where
f

L is the True Lower limit of the Median class

i is how many frequencies into that class that
you need to go
f is how many frequencies there are in the
class
C is the class width
This matches the method in example 23 on page 66

6
 The Median Score is the 13th
score. It is in class 71-80. That
is 70.5 - 80.5
i
Median L C
f
L = 70.5 (True Lower limit Median class)
i = 6 (I have 7 scores below the
median class, I need to go to
13, so 6 more needed.)
f = 11 (71-80 occurred 11 times)
C = 10 (Class width)

Median
6
70.5 + 10
11
75.95
7
11 Maths B Text pages 66 & 68

Page 70 & 73
Exercise 2.3
Question 4 a-c, 16, 20

8
Some Important Notes
You must mark True Class Limits on the number
line in a histogram, polygon or ogive. (You may
label as you like but the measures must be true)
When putting grouped data into your calculator
use class centres except when drawing an ogive in
which case you enter true UPPER class limits.
When using your ogive to find percentiles, median
etc, use the method on page (Maths B)63 & 64