Worked example
The data are 2, 4, 4, 8, 12, 12. Their mean is 7. What is the mean absolute deviation? Give an exact simplified value.
Answer & why
Answer:
The distances from the mean are 5, 3, 3, 1, 5, 5. Their sum is 22; divide by 6 to get 11/3.
Grade 6 · Math
Describe spread with mean absolute deviation
Measure typical distance from a data set’s mean using mean absolute deviation.
6 authored questions + worked example
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All questions
All 6 authored questions for this skill.
Question 1
The data are 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9. Their mean is 5. What is the mean absolute deviation? Give an exact simplified value.
- 3
- 5
- 2
- 4
A hint
Find each distance from the mean, then find the mean of those nonnegative distances.
Answer & why
Answer: 3
The distances from the mean are 4, 3, 2, 2, 3, 4. Their sum is 18; divide by 6 to get 3.
Question 2
The data are 4, 6, 6, 10, 14, 14. Their mean is 9. What is the mean absolute deviation? Give an exact simplified value.
A hint
Find each distance from the mean, then find the mean of those nonnegative distances.
Answer & why
Answer:
The distances from the mean are 5, 3, 3, 1, 5, 5. Their sum is 22; divide by 6 to get 11/3.
Question 3
The data are 0, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12. Their mean is 6. What is the mean absolute deviation? Give an exact simplified value.
- 6
- 5
- 3
- 4
A hint
Find each distance from the mean, then find the mean of those nonnegative distances.
Answer & why
Answer: 4
The distances from the mean are 6, 4, 2, 2, 4, 6. Their sum is 24; divide by 6 to get 4.
Question 4
The data are 5, 7, 9, 13, 15, 17. Their mean is 11. What is the mean absolute deviation? Give an exact simplified value.
- 3
- 4
- 6
- 5
A hint
Find each distance from the mean, then find the mean of those nonnegative distances.
Answer & why
Answer: 4
The distances from the mean are 6, 4, 2, 2, 4, 6. Their sum is 24; divide by 6 to get 4.
Question 5
The data are 2, 4, 4, 8, 12, 12. Their mean is 7. What is the mean absolute deviation? Give an exact simplified value.
A hint
Find each distance from the mean, then find the mean of those nonnegative distances.
Answer & why
Answer:
The distances from the mean are 5, 3, 3, 1, 5, 5. Their sum is 22; divide by 6 to get 11/3.
Question 6
The data are 3, 5, 5, 9, 13, 13. Their mean is 8. What is the mean absolute deviation? Give an exact simplified value.
A hint
Find each distance from the mean, then find the mean of those nonnegative distances.
Answer & why
Answer:
The distances from the mean are 5, 3, 3, 1, 5, 5. Their sum is 22; divide by 6 to get 11/3.