Descriptive statistics provide a concise summary of data. The mean represents the arithmetic average, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the number of values. The median is the central value when data is ordered from least to greatest; it divides the distribution into two equal halves. The mode is the value that appears most frequently within the dataset. For example, in a dataset of test scores, the mean score represents the average performance, the median score indicates the midpoint of the distribution, and the mode indicates the most common score.
Understanding these measures is fundamental in data analysis, enabling researchers to identify central tendencies and distributional characteristics. These values contribute to making informed decisions and interpreting data accurately. Historically, these statistics have been crucial in diverse fields, from social sciences to business analytics, aiding in understanding populations, trends, and variations within datasets.