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📉 Averages and Range

Describe a whole data set with a few numbers — mean, median, mode, and range — and see how one weird outlier can drag the mean while the median holds steady.

lessons

~15 min

to learn

🔢 Math

subject

Ages 6–12

level

Start the course →

What you’ll learn

Describing a Whole SetSummarise a data set using mean, median, mode, and range.Averages and range describe a whole data set with a few numbers. Mean, median, and mode each locate the centre — the fair share, the middle, and the most common value — while the range (biggest minus smallest) measures spread. Together they summarise a distribution.
Choosing the Right AverageChoose the most appropriate average for a given situation.No average is always best. The mean uses every value but is swayed by extremes; the median resists extremes and shows a typical value; the mode suits the most common category. Choosing well means matching the measure to what you want to describe.
Outliers, Mean vs MedianExplain how an outlier affects the mean versus the median.An outlier is a value far from the rest. Because the mean adds every value, an outlier drags it toward the extreme, while the median — based only on the middle position — barely moves. When a data set has outliers, the median often tells the truer story.

Questions this course answers

For house prices where a few mansions are very expensive, the best average is the:

The median ignores extreme values, so it describes the typical price.

To find the most common shoe size sold, use the:

The mode is the most frequently occurring value.

Adding one very large outlier to a data set will:

The mean uses every value, so a large outlier drags it upward.

When a data set has a big outlier, the value that stays most typical is the:

The median barely moves when an outlier is added.

Grounded in trusted sources

Khan Academy — Math
BBC Bitesize — Maths
NCTM — Illuminations

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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🔢Mean, Median, Mode, and Range ⚖️Calculating the Mean 📊Bar Graphs and Time Graphs 🕵️Breaking Down Word Problems 🧩Building and Combining Shapes ⚖️Building Math Arguments 🍕Calculating with Fractions and Mixed Numbers 🗂️Charts and Frequency Tables

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