How to Calculate Mean Deviation About the Median for Data Set 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17

Learn step-by-step how to find the mean deviation about the median for the data set 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17 with clear examples.

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Calculate the median: The median of the data set 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17 is 9.5. Find deviations: Deviations about the median are |-5.5|, |-2.5|, |-1.5|, |-0.5|, |0.5|, |2.5|, |3.5|, |7.5|. Mean deviation: Adding these gives 24.4. Mean deviation = 24.4/8 = 3.05. So, the mean deviation about the median is 3.05.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What is mean deviation about the median? Mean deviation about the median is the average of the absolute deviations of each data point from the dataset's median, measuring dispersion.
  2. How do you calculate mean deviation from the median? To calculate mean deviation from the median, find the median, compute the absolute difference of each data point from the median, sum these differences, and divide by the number of data points.
  3. Why use mean deviation about the median instead of the mean? Mean deviation about the median is less affected by extreme values and provides a robust measure of variability, especially for skewed data.
  4. Can mean deviation be negative? No, mean deviation is always a non-negative value since it is based on absolute differences.