Question

The most suitable measure of central tendancy is :

• A. Mode
• B. Mean
• C. Median
• D. None of these

Hint:

The choice of the "most suitable" measure of central tendency depends on the data:
{Mean:} Best for symmetrical numerical data. It's the average.
{Median:} Best for skewed numerical data or data with outliers. It's the middle value.
{Mode:} Best for categorical data or finding the most common value. In general introductory statistics, if no specific data characteristics are given, the Mean is often highlighted as a primary measure.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Measures of central tendency are statistical values that describe the center or typical value of a dataset. The three main measures are Mean, Median, and Mode. The "most suitable" measure depends on the nature of the data and the objective of the analysis. Step 1: Understanding the different measures of central tendency
Mean (Arithmetic Mean):
Definition: The sum of all values divided by the number of values.
Pros: Uses all data points in its calculation; widely understood and mathematically tractable. It is often considered the best measure for symmetrical distributions without extreme outliers.
Cons: Highly affected by extreme values (outliers). Not suitable for nominal data.
Median:
Definition: The middle value in a dataset that has been arranged in order of magnitude. If there are two middle values, the median is their average.
Pros: Not affected by extreme values (outliers); suitable for ordinal data and skewed distributions.
Cons: Does not use all data points in its direct calculation (only considers their rank).
Mode:
Definition: The value that appears most frequently in a dataset.
Pros: Easy to identify; can be used for nominal (categorical) data; can be used for multimodal distributions (having more than one mode).
Cons: May not exist, or there may be multiple modes; may not be representative of the center if the most frequent value is at an extreme. Does not use all data points. Step 2: Interpreting "most suitable" The term "most suitable" is context-dependent.
For symmetrical numerical data without outliers, the Mean is generally the most suitable and preferred measure because it incorporates every value.
For skewed numerical data or data with significant outliers, the Median is often more suitable as it provides a better representation of the "typical" value.
For categorical (nominal) data, the Mode is the only suitable measure of central tendency. Since the question is phrased generally without specifying the type of data or distribution, and given that "Mean" is a very common and widely applicable measure for numerical data that is reasonably well-behaved, it is often considered the default "most suitable" in a broad sense if no other information is provided. The user has indicated option (2) Mean is correct. Conclusion: Assuming a general context where the data is numerical and not heavily skewed or affected by extreme outliers, the Mean is often considered the most suitable measure of central tendency due to its use of all data values and its mathematical properties.