Page 31 - Sociology and You

◆ Locate the median by arranging all of the numbers in the series from low to high. Then find the number that is the midpoint in the series. When an even number of figures is in the series, the median is the mean of the two middle numbers.
◆ The mode is the number in the series that appears most frequently. Simply look at the series and count which number appears the most.
◆ Compare the mean, median, and mode. Determine which one or combi- nation is the most accurate in a particular case.
Practicing the Skill
Read the paragraph below and answer the questions.
An academic department at a major university conducts a survey each year of its recent graduates. One of the questions on the survey asks the respon- dents to report their annual income. Suppose this question drew the fol- lowing responses from some graduates:
$23,500 $18,760 $43,000 $32,400 $26,750 $28,410 $1,466,980 $27,600 $26,750 $34,500 $24,580
1. Determine the mean, median, and mode for these earnings figures.
2. Whichmeasureofcentraltendencywouldyourecommendusingforthis
series? Why?
Applying the Skill
1. What are some of the data that you would want to know?
2. Whichofthethreemeasuresofcentraltendencywouldyouuseforeach
type of data?
3. Explain your choices.
Sociology Handbook 1