In a normal distribution, which measures of central tendency are equal and located at the center?

In a normal distribution, which measures of central tendency are equal and located at the center?

• A. Mean, Median and Mode are all equal
• B. Only the mean equals the median
• C. Only the median equals the mean
• D. Mode equals the mean but not the median

Answer: (A)

In a normal distribution the central idea is symmetry around the center. Because the bell curve is perfectly symmetric, the mean—the balancing point—sits at the center. The median, which divides the data into two equal halves, also lies at that same center when the distribution is symmetric. The mode—the value occurring most often—corresponds to the peak of the curve, which again is at the center. So all three measures of central tendency align at the same location in a normal distribution. In skewed or irregular distributions, these measures can differ, but the normal distribution makes them equal and centered.

In a normal distribution the central idea is symmetry around the center. Because the bell curve is perfectly symmetric, the mean—the balancing point—sits at the center. The median, which divides the data into two equal halves, also lies at that same center when the distribution is symmetric. The mode—the value occurring most often—corresponds to the peak of the curve, which again is at the center. So all three measures of central tendency align at the same location in a normal distribution. In skewed or irregular distributions, these measures can differ, but the normal distribution makes them equal and centered.