Mean, Median and Mode

 Grade Level: 9

 Standards:             Students will be able to………

1.                   Organize, analyze and display single-variable appropriately.

2.                   Solve verbal problem involving mean, median and mode.

 Aim:    How do we find the mean, median and mode from a set of data?

 Motivation:     

            Students will be grouped in 3 or 4 depending on the number of computers available, and they will be asked to go on the web and find a formal definition of the Mean, Median and Mode.

 They will be asked to go to the following web site:

http://forum.swarthmore.edu/

At this web site they can search the subject by:

a.                  Topics

b.                  Ask Dr. Math

 Development and Pivotal Question:

     I.                      After they have found a formal definition they have to come up with some examples.  Every group will have an example of each word.

II.                    At the same web site they have to find 2 exercises to be used by the group.

III.                   When the groups are done with their investigations the following questions will be asked:

 a.     What do we mean by the word Mean/Average? How do we find the Mean from a set of data?

b.     What do we mean by the word Median? Can we find the Median from a set of unorganized data? How do we find the median? How do we find the median when we have an even number of items?

c.      What do we mean by Mode? How do we find the mode? Is it possible to have a set of data with no Mode? Is it possible to have a set of data that has more than one mode?

IV.                What does the mean or average represent in real life? If the average test score in a class is 56, what does that mean? Discuss with the class.

V.                  Discuss the importance of knowing the Mode of a set of data. Give example of a store. (The mode could represent the items that people like the most, etc…)

Practice:

At this point of the lesson students will work again in groups of 3.  

The practice will consist of surfing the following web site and finding data. The data found will be analyzed. Each group at the end of the period will report back to the class.

 Each group has to find Mean, Mode and Median.

Once they have found Mean, Mode and Median they have to explain how this information can be used in order to do some kind of prediction.

 http://benjerry.com

http://aa.com

http://nba.com

http://burgerking.com

http://mcdonald.com

Materials:

I.                      Computers with Internet connection.

II.                    Calculators (Optional)

III.                   Pencils.

 Summary:       

            What’s the Mean of a set of data? How do we find the Mean?

            What’s the Mode of a set of data? How do we find the Mode?

            What’s the Median? How do we find it?

Assessment:

            Students will have to find four web sites that contain data that can be analyzed.

Once they have found them (four different sites) they have to pick one and find Mean, Median, and Mode of a particular set of data.

Journal Assignment.

            Send an E-Mail message, to one of your friends and explain to her/him what we learned today. Make sure to include the following:

Examples

Detailed explanation

Web sites to be visited by your friend

Conclusion where you wrap up the lesson being taught.

            Bring a copy of your E-mail in order to get credit or cc: it to Mr.Ianni at : fi201@is7.nyu.edu