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Which measure of central tendency is most affected by a single very large value (an outlier)?

Class 7Data HandlingData Handling
  • AMean
  • BMedian
  • CMode
  • DRange is not affected

Step-by-Step Solution

The mean uses every value in the sum, so a single very large value pulls it up. The median (middle value) and mode (most frequent) are far less sensitive to outliers.
Answer: A) Mean

Key idea: When to use which

- **Mean**: when values are well-spread without extreme outliers (test scores, heights).
- **Median**: when there are extreme values (incomes, house prices) that would skew the mean.
- **Mode**: when you care about the most common value (most common shoe size, most popular subject).

In news headlines: 'average income' usually means mean (which can be misleading); 'median income' is often more honest.

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