How to Find the Mean, Median, and Mode

Because they are all measures of central tendency,psychology studentsoften find it easy to confuse the three.

Yet, there are differences in what each one is and how it is found.

Need a Refresher?

Woman calculating mean, median, and mode.

Sam Edwards / Getty Images

Then you divide the total sum by the number of scores used (47 / 7 = 6.7).

In this example, the mean or average of the number set is 6.7.

The median is the middle score in the set.

To find the median, start by arranging all of the data points from smallest to largest.

In an odd-numbered set, the median will be the number in the very middle of the list.

In an even-numbered set, you will need to calculate the average of the two middle numbers.

First, you arrange them in numerical order (5, 7, 9, 9, 11).

In this data set, the median score is 3.

Of all the measures, finding the mode requires the least amount of mathematical calculation.

It’s also possible for a data set to have two modes.

This is known as bi-modal distribution.

Bi-modal distribution comes up whenever there are two numbers that are tied in frequency.

Therefore, they are both modes.

Here are a few to consider.

The one you select can depend on the data scores themselves.

Also consider what you are trying to measure.

But what if you had an additional score of 13?

Speelman CP, McGann M.How mean is the mean?Front Psychol.

2013;4:451. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00451

National Alliance on Mental Illness.Schizophrenia.

Hogg RV, McKean JW, Craig AT.Introduction to Mathematical Statistics.Boston: Pearson; 2013.

Laerd Statistics.Measures of Central Tendency.