That Doesn’t Work Anymore

Chapter 6 Means Move—Analyze the Averages

Calculating an average is probably the most widely used statistical tool. You can look at average goals per game, grade point average, the average amount of time spent on a website. Averages pop up everywhere. There are several different types of averages that are appropriate for different types of situations, which are worth reviewing. It is also important to discuss how averages are misused. The simple fact that averages are dynamic and change often gets ignored. When there is more change, averages may become a less valuable reference point.

The most common types of calculations referred to as averages are the mode, the median, and the mean. The mode is the figure that appears most often in a data set; ...