Module 3: Central Tendency

Question 1

What is the Mode?

What would be the Mode here?

Answer 1

The most Common/Frequent Score

Mode = 9

Question 2

When using Nominal or Ordinal Variables, how is Mode used?

Answer 2

Mode would describe the most common or frequent category

Mode = Hypertension

Question 3

When using Interval or Ratio Variables, how is Mode used?

Answer 3

Mode: most common/frequent score
- more useful if data is discrete
- less useful when data is continuous

Discrete: Integer not including decimals (3 dogs, 2 siblings)
Continuous: Number that includes decimals (height/weight)

Question 4

Does having multiple modes mean we have a multimodal distribution?

Answer 4

No, Modality is a Visual Characteristic

Question 5

What are the Strengths and Weaknesses of using the Mode?

Answer 5

Strengths
- Easy to identify
- Actual Score (not calculated)
- Not affected by outleirs

Weaknesses
- Does not include all data in the statistic
- Not useful for hypothesis testing based on distributions

Question 6

What is the Median?
When is it Applicable?

Answer 6

Median = # located in the middle of distribution

Only applicable to interval and ratio variables

Question 7

How do we calculate the Median for a case with odd numbers?

Answer 7

Question 8

How do we calculate the Median for a case with even numbers?

Answer 8

Question 9

In a Box Plot, what is the role of the Median?

Answer 9

• The median splits the distribution into halves
• AKA the 50th percentile

Question 10

What are the Strengths and Weaknesses of using the Median?

Answer 10

Strengths
- Not affected by Outliers
- Useful for Skewed Distributions

Weaknesses
- Does not include all the data in statistic
- Not useful for hypothesis testing based on distributions
- Not useful for bimodal distributions

Question 11

What is the Mean?

When is it Applicable?

Answer 11

Mean = The arithmetic Average

Only Applicable to Interval and Ratio Variables

Question 12

How do we calculate the Mean?

Answer 12

Mean = Sum of Individual Scores/Sample Size

Number of decimal places varies

Question 13

What are the Strengths and Weaknesses of using the Mean?

Answer 13

Strengths
- Calculated from all scores in distribution
- Used for hypothesis testing based on distributions

Weaknesses
- Affected by Outliers
- Not represented by Skewed Distributions
- Not used for Bimodal or Multimodal Distributions

Question 14

What symbols are used to represent the Mean for a Sample vs Population

Answer 14