GUIDE深度 · Deep dive
Mean, Median and Mode
Mean is the sum divided by count and is sensitive to outliers; median sorts first and resists outliers; mode is the most frequent value and may not be unique. Check the distribution before choosing.
Calculation
Mean = sum / n.
Median: sort, take the middle; average the two middle values for even n.
Mode: most frequent value.
Choosing
Use median with outliers.
Use mode for categorical data.
Use mean for symmetric distributions.
FAQ
Can there be no mode?
Yes; if all values occur equally often, there is no mode.
Must I sort for the median?
Yes; unsorted data gives the wrong answer.