Which measure of central tendency is the arithmetic average of a group of scores?

The arithmetic average of a group of scores is referred to as the mean. The mean is calculated by adding all the individual scores together and then dividing this sum by the total number of scores. This measure of central tendency provides a single value that represents the center of a data set, making it a useful statistic for summarizing a group of numbers.

Understanding the mean is vital because it reflects the overall performance or typical value in a dataset, especially when the data is symmetrically distributed without extreme outliers that could skew the result. The mean considers every value in the dataset, providing a comprehensive summary that can be particularly informative in fields such as economics, education, and engineering.

The other measures of central tendency, such as the median and mode, do not represent the arithmetic average. The median represents the middle value when the scores are ordered, and the mode indicates the most frequently occurring score in a dataset. The range, on the other hand, measures the difference between the highest and lowest values, providing insight into the spread of the data rather than a central value. Understanding these distinctions helps in selecting the appropriate measure of central tendency based on the nature of the data being analyzed.