Which of the following is NOT a measure ofâ center? Choose the correct answer below.
A. mode
B. census
C. mean
D. median
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B. census.
Explanation:
Measures of center are statistical tools used to describe the central tendency or typical value of a dataset. They summarize the distribution of the data by identifying the central point around which the data points tend to cluster. The most common measures of center include the mode, mean, and median. Let’s examine each option:
- Mode: This is the value that appears most frequently in a dataset. It is a measure of center because it represents the most common or typical value in the dataset. For example, in the dataset {1, 2, 2, 3, 4}, the mode is 2 because it occurs most often.
- Mean: The mean, or average, is calculated by adding all the data points together and dividing by the number of data points. The mean is one of the most widely used measures of center because it represents the arithmetic average of the dataset. For example, for the dataset {2, 4, 6}, the mean is (2+4+6) / 3 = 4.
- Median: The median is the middle value when the data points are arranged in numerical order. If the dataset has an odd number of values, the median is the middle value; if the dataset has an even number of values, the median is the average of the two middle values. The median is another important measure of center, especially when dealing with skewed distributions. For example, in the dataset {1, 3, 7}, the median is 3.
- Census: A census is not a measure of center. It refers to the process of collecting data from every member of a population. In statistical terms, a census aims to gather complete information about a population rather than summarizing the data with a central measure. A census provides raw data rather than a summary of central tendency. For instance, a population census collects data on the entire population, such as age, income, and education level, but it does not provide a central measure like the mean, median, or mode.
Thus, B. census is the correct answer because it is not a measure of center but rather a method of data collection.