Mean, median, and mode: computations
Two averages and a counting question. The third part is not “what is the mode” but “how many modes are there” — and zero is a real answer.
A short walkthrough explaining what you need to know and how to solve this question type lands here once it's recorded.
ALEKS randomizes the numbers each attempt, but the question shape stays the same. Here are three example versions you might see.
Five measurements: 4, 9, 2, 15, 7.
How many modes does this set have? Type 0, 1 or 2.
Six values: 7, 7, 12, 12, 15, 20.
How many modes does this set have? Type 0, 1 or 2.
Five values: 4, 9, 2, 15, 7.
What is the median?
Each year taxpayers can donate to charity via their tax forms. The following list contains the amounts, in dollars, donated by 8 taxpayers.
41, 88, 62, 88, 55, 73, 29, 88
(a) What is the median? (b) What is the mean? (c) How many modes does the set have, and what are their values?
If an answer is not an integer, round it to one decimal place.
(a) The median
(b) The mean
(c) How many modes?
The two cases this set does not show you
Zero modes: 4, 9, 2, 15, 7. Every value appears once, so nothing is most frequent and the set has no mode. This is not a trick and it is not an error — ALEKS gives it its own radio button.
Two modes: 7, 7, 12, 12, 15, 20. Both 7 and 12 appear twice, and nothing appears more often, so both are modes. The set is bimodal, and you report both values.
A set can have three or more modes too, but ALEKS stops at two on this question, which tells you how far the versions go.