Objective
Enter a dataset and compute its mean, median, mode, range and standard deviation, seeing each measure summarise the data differently.
The idea
One dataset, many summaries. The mean, median and mode each answer a different question about the centre, and the spread measures say how tightly grouped the data is.
Try this
- 1Enter a skewed dataset and compare mean with median.
- 2Add an outlier and watch the mean jump but the median hold.
- 3Find the mode of a dataset with two peaks.
- 4Compare variance and standard deviation units.
Watch for
- The mean is pulled by outliers; the median resists them.
- The mode finds the most frequent value.
- Standard deviation is the typical distance from the mean.
- Centre and spread together summarise a distribution.