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Skewness and the Mean, Median, and Mode Quiz

12 questions math Grades 9-12

The question sheet

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  1. In a perfectly symmetrical distribution, the mean and the median are:

    • Undefined
    • The same
    • Both zero
    • Always different
    Reveal answer

    Answer: The same

    Source evidence

    PDF page 114: The histogram displays a symmetrical distribution of data. A distribution is symmetrical if a vertical line can be drawn at some point in the histogram such that the shape to the left and the right of the vertical line are mirror images of each other. The mean, the median, and the mode are each seven for these data. In a perfectly symmetrical distribution, the mean and the median are the same. This example has one mode (unimodal), and the mode is the same as the mean and median. In a symmetrical distribution that has two modes (bimodal), the two modes would be different from the mean and median. The histogram for the data: 4; 5; 6; 6; 6; 7; 7; 7; 7; 8 is not symmetrical. The right-hand side seems "chopped off" compared to the left side. A distribution of this type is called skewed to the left because it is pulled out to the left.

  2. For the symmetrical data set 4;5;6;6;6;7;...;9;10, the mean, median, and mode are each:

    • Six
    • Seven
    • Eight
    • Five
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Seven

    Source evidence

    PDF page 114: The histogram displays a symmetrical distribution of data. A distribution is symmetrical if a vertical line can be drawn at some point in the histogram such that the shape to the left and the right of the vertical line are mirror images of each other. The mean, the median, and the mode are each seven for these data. In a perfectly symmetrical distribution, the mean and the median are the same. This example has one mode (unimodal), and the mode is the same as the mean and median. In a symmetrical distribution that has two modes (bimodal), the two modes would be different from the mean and median. The histogram for the data: 4; 5; 6; 6; 6; 7; 7; 7; 7; 8 is not symmetrical. The right-hand side seems "chopped off" compared to the left side. A distribution of this type is called skewed to the left because it is pulled out to the left.

  3. A distribution pulled out to the left is called:

    • Symmetrical
    • Skewed to the left
    • Bimodal
    • Skewed to the right
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Skewed to the left

    Source evidence

    PDF page 114: The histogram displays a symmetrical distribution of data. A distribution is symmetrical if a vertical line can be drawn at some point in the histogram such that the shape to the left and the right of the vertical line are mirror images of each other. The mean, the median, and the mode are each seven for these data. In a perfectly symmetrical distribution, the mean and the median are the same. This example has one mode (unimodal), and the mode is the same as the mean and median. In a symmetrical distribution that has two modes (bimodal), the two modes would be different from the mean and median. The histogram for the data: 4; 5; 6; 6; 6; 7; 7; 7; 7; 8 is not symmetrical. The right-hand side seems "chopped off" compared to the left side. A distribution of this type is called skewed to the left because it is pulled out to the left.

  4. For the left-skewed data, the mean is 6.3, median 6.5, mode 7. This shows the mean is:

    • Less than the median
    • Equal to the mode
    • Equal to the median
    • Greater than the median
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Less than the median

    Source evidence

    PDF page 115: The mean is 6.3, the median is 6.5, and the mode is seven. Notice that the mean is less than the median, and they are both less than the mode. The mean and the median both reflect the skewing, but the mean reflects it more so. The histogram for the data: 6; 7; 7; 7; 7; 8; 8; 8; 9; 10, is also not symmetrical. It is skewed to the right.

  5. For the right-skewed data (mean 7.7, mode 7), which statistic is smallest?

    • The range
    • The mean
    • The mode
    • The median
    Reveal answer

    Answer: The mode

    Source evidence

    PDF page 115: The mean is 7.7, the median is 7.5, and the mode is seven. Of the three statistics, the mean is the largest, while the mode is the smallest. Again, the mean reflects the skewing the most. To summarize, generally if the distribution of data is skewed to the left, the mean is less than the median, which is often less than the mode. If the distribution of data is skewed to the right, the mode is often less than the median, which is less than the mean. Skewness and symmetry become important when we discuss probability distributions in later chapters.

  6. If data is skewed to the left, generally the mean is:

    • Greater than the mode
    • Equal to the median
    • Less than the median
    • Greater than the median
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Less than the median

    Source evidence

    PDF page 115: The mean is 7.7, the median is 7.5, and the mode is seven. Of the three statistics, the mean is the largest, while the mode is the smallest. Again, the mean reflects the skewing the most. To summarize, generally if the distribution of data is skewed to the left, the mean is less than the median, which is often less than the mode. If the distribution of data is skewed to the right, the mode is often less than the median, which is less than the mean. Skewness and symmetry become important when we discuss probability distributions in later chapters.

  7. If data is skewed to the right, the mode is often:

    • Equal to the mean
    • Greater than the median
    • Less than the median
    • Greater than the mean
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Less than the median

    Source evidence

    PDF page 115: The mean is 7.7, the median is 7.5, and the mode is seven. Of the three statistics, the mean is the largest, while the mode is the smallest. Again, the mean reflects the skewing the most. To summarize, generally if the distribution of data is skewed to the left, the mean is less than the median, which is often less than the mode. If the distribution of data is skewed to the right, the mode is often less than the median, which is less than the mean. Skewness and symmetry become important when we discuss probability distributions in later chapters.

  8. A distribution is symmetrical if a vertical line splits the histogram into:

    • Two equal counts
    • Skewed halves
    • Two modes
    • Mirror images
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Mirror images

    Source evidence

    PDF page 114: The histogram displays a symmetrical distribution of data. A distribution is symmetrical if a vertical line can be drawn at some point in the histogram such that the shape to the left and the right of the vertical line are mirror images of each other. The mean, the median, and the mode are each seven for these data. In a perfectly symmetrical distribution, the mean and the median are the same. This example has one mode (unimodal), and the mode is the same as the mean and median. In a symmetrical distribution that has two modes (bimodal), the two modes would be different from the mean and median. The histogram for the data: 4; 5; 6; 6; 6; 7; 7; 7; 7; 8 is not symmetrical. The right-hand side seems "chopped off" compared to the left side. A distribution of this type is called skewed to the left because it is pulled out to the left.

  9. A distribution with one mode is described as:

    • Bimodal
    • Unimodal
    • Skewed
    • Symmetrical
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Unimodal

    Source evidence

    PDF page 114: The histogram displays a symmetrical distribution of data. A distribution is symmetrical if a vertical line can be drawn at some point in the histogram such that the shape to the left and the right of the vertical line are mirror images of each other. The mean, the median, and the mode are each seven for these data. In a perfectly symmetrical distribution, the mean and the median are the same. This example has one mode (unimodal), and the mode is the same as the mean and median. In a symmetrical distribution that has two modes (bimodal), the two modes would be different from the mean and median. The histogram for the data: 4; 5; 6; 6; 6; 7; 7; 7; 7; 8 is not symmetrical. The right-hand side seems "chopped off" compared to the left side. A distribution of this type is called skewed to the left because it is pulled out to the left.

  10. In a symmetrical distribution with two modes, the modes would be:

    • Equal to each other only
    • Different from mean and median
    • Equal to the median
    • Equal to the mean
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Different from mean and median

    Source evidence

    PDF page 114: The histogram displays a symmetrical distribution of data. A distribution is symmetrical if a vertical line can be drawn at some point in the histogram such that the shape to the left and the right of the vertical line are mirror images of each other. The mean, the median, and the mode are each seven for these data. In a perfectly symmetrical distribution, the mean and the median are the same. This example has one mode (unimodal), and the mode is the same as the mean and median. In a symmetrical distribution that has two modes (bimodal), the two modes would be different from the mean and median. The histogram for the data: 4; 5; 6; 6; 6; 7; 7; 7; 7; 8 is not symmetrical. The right-hand side seems "chopped off" compared to the left side. A distribution of this type is called skewed to the left because it is pulled out to the left.

  11. Which statistic reflects the skewing the most?

    • The mean
    • The mode
    • The median
    • The range
    Reveal answer

    Answer: The mean

    Source evidence

    PDF page 115: The mean is 6.3, the median is 6.5, and the mode is seven. Notice that the mean is less than the median, and they are both less than the mode. The mean and the median both reflect the skewing, but the mean reflects it more so. The histogram for the data: 6; 7; 7; 7; 7; 8; 8; 8; 9; 10, is also not symmetrical. It is skewed to the right.

    PDF page 115: The mean is 7.7, the median is 7.5, and the mode is seven. Of the three statistics, the mean is the largest, while the mode is the smallest. Again, the mean reflects the skewing the most. To summarize, generally if the distribution of data is skewed to the left, the mean is less than the median, which is often less than the mode. If the distribution of data is skewed to the right, the mode is often less than the median, which is less than the mean. Skewness and symmetry become important when we discuss probability distributions in later chapters.

  12. According to the author study, Terry's distribution has a:

    • Bimodal shape
    • Left (negative) skew
    • Symmetrical shape
    • Right (positive) skew
    Reveal answer

    Answer: Right (positive) skew

    Source evidence

    PDF page 116: Figure 2.19 Terry’s distribution has a right (positive) skew.

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