Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand and apply basic statistical concepts such as mean, median, mode, and range.

Materials and Prep

Materials:

• Paper
• Pencil
• Calculator (optional)

Preparation:

• Make sure you have a clear understanding of addition, subtraction, and division.
• Find a quiet space to work on the activities.

Activities

1. Mean, Median, and Mode:

• Write down a list of 10 numbers. Find the mean, median, and mode of the set of numbers.

2. Range:

• Take a new set of 10 numbers. Find the range of the set by subtracting the smallest number from the largest number.

Eighth Grade Talking Points

• Mean: "The mean is the average of a set of numbers. To find the mean, add up all the numbers and then divide by how many numbers there are."
• Median: "The median is the middle number when the numbers are listed in order. If there are two middle numbers, find their average."
• Mode: "The mode is the number that appears most frequently in a set of numbers."
• Range: "The range is the difference between the largest and smallest numbers in a set."