< b="" />Mode vs Median< />
Mode and median are both measures of central tendency in a data set, but they serve different purposes and provide different insights into the data. Understanding the difference between mode and median is essential for interpreting data accurately.
< b="" />Mode< />
- The mode is the value that appears most frequently in a data set.
- It is useful for identifying the most common or popular value in a set of data.
- The mode may not be unique, as there can be more than one mode in a data set.
- The mode is not affected by extreme values or outliers in the data.
- For example, in the data set 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, the mode is 3 as it appears more frequently than any other value.
< b="" />Median< />
- The median is the middle value in a sorted list of numbers.
- It is useful for determining the central value in a set of data.
- The median divides the data set into two equal halves.
- The median is not influenced by extreme values or outliers, making it a robust measure of central tendency.
- For example, in the data set 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, the median is 3 as it is the middle value when the data is arranged in ascending order.
< b="" />Differences< />
- The key difference between mode and median is how they handle the distribution of values in a data set.
- The mode represents the most common value, while the median represents the central value.
- The mode is not affected by extreme values, while the median is influenced by the position of values in the data set.
- The mode can be non-unique, while the median is always a single value.
- Both mode and median are important measures of central tendency, providing different perspectives on the data set.