Difference Between Mode and Median

Mode vs. Median

It has always been taught in math classes around the world that the easiest way to analyze a survey is to determine the mean, mode, and median of the results. These involve minimum computation and can give quicker results compared to other processes of study analysis.

Most students, however, find it difficult to grasp the difference among the three, especially between the mode and the median. The easiest way to illustrate this difference is through a concrete example:

1, 6, 9, 4, 3, 2, 6, 6, 8, 8, 6

In the series of numbers above, the mean is determined by calculating the average of the numbers This is done by adding all of the numbers together and dividing the sum by the number of addends. The mean of the series, then, is 5.09.

On the other hand, the mode is the number that occurs the most number of times in the series. Just by looking at the numbers, students can already determine that six is the mode of the given number set. A median, on the other hand, is the middle of the sorted number series. To find the median, sort the numbers in value order and find the middle number.

So the sorted series would be:

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 9

So the middle number here is 6. The median is 6. That being said, the mode and the median can be determined in different ways. Students can come up with the mode of the number series just by observing which number appears most frequently in the set. The median, on the other hand, can be determined by adding one to the number of numbers and dividing it by two. From the example above, there are 11 numbers. Since (11+1)/2 is equal to 6, the 6th number becomes the median, which is 6.

Summary:

1.Mode refers to the number that occurs the most in a series, while median is defined as the number found at the exact middle of the set.
2.Mode is determined by observing which rating or number appears with the most frequency, while median is determined through this formula: (N+1)/2.

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