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6th grade · Math · Unit 14 of 17

Center & Spread

Mean, median, range and IQR

What your child practices

Telling a statistical question from a regular question, and describing data with the mean, median, range and interquartile range.

Maine Learning Results learning standard: 6.SP.A.1; 6.SP.A.3; 6.SP.B.5 · recognizing statistical questions and summarizing data with measures of center and variability

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Mean: add the values and divide by how many there are.
  2. Median: the middle value in order. Range: greatest − least.
  3. IQR: Q3 − Q1, the spread of the middle half.

Example: What is the mean of 4, 7, 9 and 12? 4 + 7 + 9 + 12 = 32. 32 ÷ 4 = 8. Answer: 8

Center & Spread in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 14 of 17 in 6th grade Math, after Dividing Fractions and before Four Quadrants.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Maine Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    The data 11, 14, 15, 18, 20, 97 has one very large value. Which measure describes the typical value best?

    • The range
    • The median
    • The mean

  2. Question 2

    What is the mean of 20, 11, 5, 15, 4?

    • 11
    • 10
    • 14
    • 12
    • 16

  3. Question 3

    What is the median of 9, 1, 9, 11, 27, 14?

    • 10.5
    • 11
    • 13
    • 9
    • 10

  4. Question 4

    What is the range of 18, 19, 40, 4, 14, 16?

    • 36
    • 17
    • 34
    • 40
    • 37

  5. Question 5

    What is the interquartile range (IQR) of 5, 18, 2, 7, 9, 27, 37, 31?

    • 24
    • 23
    • 29
    • 35
    • 6

  6. Question 6

    Which is a statistical question?

    • How many minutes does it take students at my school to get to school?
    • How many hours did I sleep last night?
    • How many days are in a leap year?
    • How tall is the school flagpole?

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