What are the mean, median and mode measures of?

• A. Central tendency
• B. Variability
• C. Skewness
• D. Kurtosis

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is central tendency—the idea of describing where a data set tends to center or cluster. The mean, median, and mode are three ways to capture that central point in a distribution. The mean is the arithmetic average, which uses all data points and reflects the balance point of the data, but it can be pulled toward extreme values. The median is the middle value when the data are ordered, and it is robust to outliers, making it a good choice for skewed distributions. The mode is the most frequently occurring value and is especially informative for nominal data or when a single most common value matters. Other concepts describe spread or shape (variability, skewness, kurtosis), but the mean, median, and mode specifically describe the central tendency.