Which measure should be used when extreme values are present to avoid distortion?

Which measure should be used when extreme values are present to avoid distortion?

• A. MEAN
• B. MODE
• C. MEDIAN
• D. RANGE

Answer: (C)

When extreme values (outliers) appear, the best way to summarize central tendency is with the median. The median is the middle value after ordering the data, so its position doesn’t rely on the actual magnitude of the extreme scores. This makes it resistant to distortion from very high or very low values. In contrast, the mean takes every value into account, so a single outlier can pull it toward the extreme and misrepresent the typical score. The range depends on the extremes (min and max) and can widen or shrink with outliers, not giving a true sense of the center. The mode reflects the most frequent value and may not represent the data well when outliers are present or when data are continuous. So the median stays closest to the typical value when extremes are involved.

When extreme values (outliers) appear, the best way to summarize central tendency is with the median. The median is the middle value after ordering the data, so its position doesn’t rely on the actual magnitude of the extreme scores. This makes it resistant to distortion from very high or very low values. In contrast, the mean takes every value into account, so a single outlier can pull it toward the extreme and misrepresent the typical score. The range depends on the extremes (min and max) and can widen or shrink with outliers, not giving a true sense of the center. The mode reflects the most frequent value and may not represent the data well when outliers are present or when data are continuous. So the median stays closest to the typical value when extremes are involved.