*Median* is one type of average. You put all the sample into order and then the median is at the halfway mark. For income it means half the population earn more and half earn less.
*Mean* is another type of average – you add all the sample values together and then divide by the number of samples. The number might not be what any individual sample scores.
Median is useful for things like income and wealth as it cuts off the outlier values. Eg for income a handful of billionaires can radically skew the result to show a much higher income or wealth than any ordinary person is realistically on.
Mean is useful for a lot of statistical analysis, and for some types of average when the distribution of results follows a certain pattern and there are either no outliers or outliers are balanced.
There’s another average called “Mode” – this is the value that’s most common. Mode is more for things where the samples can’t really be put into order – eg what color is the average car. Median doesn’t work. Mean would be weird. Mode is more useful here.
*Median* is one type of average. You put all the sample into order and then the median is at the halfway mark. For income it means half the population earn more and half earn less.
*Mean* is another type of average – you add all the sample values together and then divide by the number of samples. The number might not be what any individual sample scores.
Median is useful for things like income and wealth as it cuts off the outlier values. Eg for income a handful of billionaires can radically skew the result to show a much higher income or wealth than any ordinary person is realistically on.
Mean is useful for a lot of statistical analysis, and for some types of average when the distribution of results follows a certain pattern and there are either no outliers or outliers are balanced.
There’s another average called “Mode” – this is the value that’s most common. Mode is more for things where the samples can’t really be put into order – eg what color is the average car. Median doesn’t work. Mean would be weird. Mode is more useful here.
Let’s say you have 5 numbers: 3, 7, 2, 80, 8.
The average (or mean) is the total divided the # of numbers: (3 + 7 + 2 + 80 + 8) / 5 = 20
The median is the middle value after putting the numbers in order: 2, 3, 7, 8, 80 – the middle value, or median, is 7.
What this tells us is that, although 20 is the average, the distribution of the values is that at least half the numbers are well below the average. In fact, 4 out of the 5 numbers are well below the average. The average is skewed by a few very high numbers (in this case, one very high number).
Let’s say you have 5 numbers: 3, 7, 2, 80, 8.
The average (or mean) is the total divided the # of numbers: (3 + 7 + 2 + 80 + 8) / 5 = 20
The median is the middle value after putting the numbers in order: 2, 3, 7, 8, 80 – the middle value, or median, is 7.
What this tells us is that, although 20 is the average, the distribution of the values is that at least half the numbers are well below the average. In fact, 4 out of the 5 numbers are well below the average. The average is skewed by a few very high numbers (in this case, one very high number).
Let’s say you have 5 numbers: 3, 7, 2, 80, 8.
The average (or mean) is the total divided the # of numbers: (3 + 7 + 2 + 80 + 8) / 5 = 20
The median is the middle value after putting the numbers in order: 2, 3, 7, 8, 80 – the middle value, or median, is 7.
What this tells us is that, although 20 is the average, the distribution of the values is that at least half the numbers are well below the average. In fact, 4 out of the 5 numbers are well below the average. The average is skewed by a few very high numbers (in this case, one very high number).
think of it as heights, if you line up 20 people.
Average is if you add everything up, the “actual middle number”
But THE PERSON MIGHT NOT EXIST. and it can easily be skewed if there is 8 super tall people in the group.
Median is lining everyone up, and picking literally the middle guy. while he might not be actual average height, theres a very likely chance hes actually “average” ofc, it can also be skewed if your group only has midgets and giants.
think of it as heights, if you line up 20 people.
Average is if you add everything up, the “actual middle number”
But THE PERSON MIGHT NOT EXIST. and it can easily be skewed if there is 8 super tall people in the group.
Median is lining everyone up, and picking literally the middle guy. while he might not be actual average height, theres a very likely chance hes actually “average” ofc, it can also be skewed if your group only has midgets and giants.
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