Last week we examined the confusion that less effective writers promulgate by misusing the word average. Unfortunately, more confusion attends this word. Fortunately, words by kurt is here to clear away the confusion.
Most pure statisticians prefer to use mean instead of average. The two words describe the same statistical quantity and as such are synonymous. However, the median is a related but different concept.
The mean and median are each centers of measure for values in a data set. Whereas the mean describes the average value in a data set, the median describes the value in the middle value of a sorted data set.
For example, suppose we have a data set containing five values: 1, 3, 4, 7 and 11. The average of these values is
Most pure statisticians prefer to use mean instead of average. The two words describe the same statistical quantity and as such are synonymous. However, the median is a related but different concept.
The mean and median are each centers of measure for values in a data set. Whereas the mean describes the average value in a data set, the median describes the value in the middle value of a sorted data set.
For example, suppose we have a data set containing five values: 1, 3, 4, 7 and 11. The average of these values is
However, the median is the value in the middle of the data set. In our example case, the median is 4, because 4 is the value in the middle of the sorted data set.
If our data set had an even number of values, then the mean or average of the two values in the middle would be the median.
Average writers confuse the mean and the median. Their failure to employ precision of language makes them average. Don’t follow their less effective example. Employ precision of language in your writing. You'll produce more effective presentations of your message to your audience. And that in turn will better represent both you and your brands to that same audience.
Average writers confuse the mean and the median. Their failure to employ precision of language makes them average. Don’t follow their less effective example. Employ precision of language in your writing. You'll produce more effective presentations of your message to your audience. And that in turn will better represent both you and your brands to that same audience.
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