 Positional average determines the

position or place of central values or

variables in the series. There are two
important types of positional
averages:


Median
Mode


 Median

According to Prof. L.R.Conner

“The median is that value of

variable which divides the group

into two equal parts, one part
comprising all values greater and
the other all values less than
median.”
 Calculation Of
Median
 Individual Series
 1. Arrange the terms in ascending order.
 2. Count the no. of terms (N)
 When no. of terms is odd:
 3. Calculate (N+1)/2 thterm. This term is the
median.
 When no. of terms is even:
 3. Calculate N/2 and N/2 +1.

1. Arrange the data in ascending order.
2. Find cumulative frequencies.
3. Find the value of middle item by using
the formula, Median = Size of
(N+1)/2 th item.
4. Find that total in the cumulative
frequency column which is equal
to(N+1)/2 th or nearer to that value.
5. Locate the value of the variable
corresponding to that cumulative
 Depending Measures on
median
n Quartiles: Quartiles divide the series in four equal parts. For
any series there are three quartiles.
First Quartile:
For Individual and Discreet series:
Q1 = Size of (N+1)/4 th term
For Continuous series:
Q1 = L + (N1 – Cf) i /f ; where N1 = N/4
Second Quartile:
Q2 = Median = P50 = D5
Third Quartile:
For Individual and Discreet series:
Q1 = Size of 3(N+1)/4 th term
For Continuous series:
n Deciles:
Decile divides the series into ten equal parts.
There are 9 deciles for any series, from D1 to D9.
For Individual and Discreet series:
Dn = Size of n(N+1)/10 th term
For Continuous series:
Dn = L + (N1 – Cf) i/ f ; where N1 = nN/10
n Percentiles:
Percentiles divide the series in 100 equal
parts. For any series there are 99 percentiles.
For Individual and Discreet series:
Pn = Size of n(N+1)/100 th term
For Continuous series:
Pn = L + (N1 – Cf) i/f ; where N1 = nN/100
Q. Find D2, P40 and Q3 for the individual
series:
21, 17, 18, 11, 27, 24, 22, 19, 14

Q. Find D2, P71 and Q1 for the discrete

series:

Q. Median marks of a class of 50 students

is 48. But two terms 46 and 73 were
Continuous Series
●

n M = L + N1 – Cf x i
f
Where, M= Median
N1 = N/2
L = Lower limit of class interval
in which frequency lies.
Cf = Cumulative frequency
f = Frequency of that interval
i = Length of that class interval
Calculate Median for the
following data (Exclusive
 Uses Of Median
n It can be easily calculated and is easy
to understand.
n Unlike mean, median is not affected by
the extreme values.
n For open end intervals, it is also a
suitable one. As taking any value of the
intervals, value of median remains the
same.
n Median can also be used for other
statistical devices such as Mean
It can be located graphically.
Some items may not be available to get

median. Even if the number of terms is

known, We can get the median.
 Limitations Of Median
n Even if the value of extreme items is too large,
it does not affect too much, but due to this,
sometimes median does not remain the
representative of the series.
n It’s affected much more by fluctuations of
sampling than A.M.
n If the no. of terms in series is even, we can only
make an estimate, as the A.M. of two middle
terms is taken as Median.
 Mode
According to Zizek
“The mode is the value occurring most
frequently in a series of items and
around which the other items are
distributed most densely.”
 Calculation Of Mode:
n Individual series:
1. Arrange the terms in ascending or
descending order.
2. Note the term occurring maximum
times.
3. This term is Mode.
nDiscrete series:
Here the variable with the highest
frequency is the Mode. This method is
known as inspection method and has its
own limitations.
Eg:
 Grouping Table
n Frequencies are taken.
n Frequencies are added in twos.
n Leaving first item frequencies are added
in twos.
n Frequencies are added in threes.
n Leaving first frequency, frequencies are
added in threes.
n Leaving first two frequencies, frequencies
are added in threes.
 Analysis Table
n Note highest total in each column.
n Note the variable in each column
corresponding to that total.
n Check if that total is of individual term or
more ( 2 or 3) terms.
n If the total consists of 2 or more
frequencies, all such variables have to be
marked as √.
n Count √ marks in each column.
n Continuous Series :
Z = L + f1 – f0 xi
2f1 – f0 – f2
Where, L = Lower limit of Modal interval
f = Frequency corresponding to
modal interval
f = Frequency preceding interval
f = Frequency succeeding interval
i = Length of interval
n Calculate mode for the following data:
 Uses Of Mode
n Mode is the term that occurs most in
the series hence it is not an isolated
value like mean that may not be there
in the series.
n It is not affected by extreme values
hence is a good representative of
series.
n It can be found graphically too.
n With only a single glance at data we
 Limitations Of Mode
n Mode can not be determined if the series
is bimodal or multimodal.
n Mode is most affected by fluctuation in
sampling.
n It is not capable of further algebraic
treatment. It is impossible to find the
combined mode of some series as in case
of mean.
n If the no. of terms is too large only then
 Relation Between X, M and Z:
n Z=3M–2X
n Symmetrical: In case of symmetrical
series, the mean, median and mode
coincide. i.e. Z = M = X.
n Positive skewed: If the tail is towards
right. i.e. Z > M > X.
n Negative Skewed: If the tail is towards
left. i.e. Z < M < X