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After reading this article you will learn about:- 1. Meaning of Mode 2. Merits of Mode 3. Demerits of Mode.
Meaning of Mode:
Most frequent value in a series. Mode cannot be determined from a series of individual observations unless it is converted into either a discrete or continuous series. In a discrete series the value of the variable against which the frequency is the largest would be the modal value.
For example, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6, 9, 3, 2, 4, 6, 11, 13 mode is 4 as it is occurring maximum.
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For example, 5, 3, 6, 3, 5, 10, 7, 2 mode is 3 and 5 such series is known as bi-modal series.
Similarly in a continuous frequency distribution the class interval having the maximum frequency would be the modal class.
Mode can be determined from grouped data using the following formula:
where l1 = lower limit of modal class, Δ1 = difference of frequencies between modal class and the preceding class, Δ2 = difference of frequencies between modal class and post modal class and i = class interval.
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For example,
Merits of Mode:
i. It is simple and easily understood.
ii. Mode is not affected by the values of extreme items provided they follow to the natural law relating to extremes.
iii. For determination of mode all values in the series are not considered.
Demerits of Mode:
i. As mode is not based on all observations of a series, therefore, it is not rigidly defined.
ii. Mode is not capable of further mathematical treatment.
iii. Mode may be unrepresentative in many cases and it may be impossible to set a definite value of mode as in a set of observations 2 or 3 or more modal values may occur.
