Mode of a data set

Count how often each value appears. The most frequent value is the mode — or values, plural, when two or more tie. When every value appears exactly once, the data set has no mode.

01 Worked Example Video

Every step of Mode of a data set explained on video. Pause anywhere; the embed scrolls independently of the page.

YOUTUBE

02 What This Looks Like on ALEKS

ALEKS randomizes the numbers each attempt, but the question shape stays the same. Here are three example versions you might see.

Siblings per student

Siblings for each of 8 students:

1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 0, 2, 1

Find the mode(s). If more than one, separate with a comma.

mode(s) =

Pets per household

Pets in each of 10 households:

2, 0, 1, 2, 3, 1, 0, 2, 4, 1

Find the mode(s). If more than one, separate with a comma.

mode(s) =

Quiz scores

9 quiz scores (each student scored differently):

7, 9, 6, 8, 5, 4, 10, 3, 2

Find the mode(s). If there is no mode, type no mode.

mode(s) =

Heads up: Your ALEKS version will use different numbers. The numbers in the practice below are different too — that way you're exercising the move, not memorizing one answer.

03 The Rule

mode = value that appears most often count occurrences, not sizes

Tie: all tied values are modes All unique: no mode

The mode is about frequency, not size. Tally each value, pick the most frequent. When two or more values tie, all of them are modes. When every value appears exactly once, there is no mode. See it live: [2, 4, 4, 7, 4, 5, 2] in the Center & Spread Visualizer →

Common slips

(1) Picked the biggest value. The mode is the most frequent, not the largest. (2) Reported one mode when there was a tie. Two values tied for most frequent → both are modes; list all of them. (3) Called it “no mode” when there was one. Only when every value appears exactly once. Otherwise the highest count wins.

04 Practice — Step by Step

Practice this problem step by step

Two data sets: find the mode(s) for each.

Step 1

What is the mode?

The mode of a data set is:

Step 2

Single-mode data set

Data: 2, 4, 4, 7, 4, 5, 2. Which value appears most often?

mode =

Step 3

Two modes (bimodal)

New data: 3, 5, 5, 8, 3, 9. Two values tie for most frequent. Type both modes, separated by a comma.

modes =

Q1 Q3

Mode of a data set

You walked the mode across single and multiple cases.