FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test

What term describes a numerical value that provides a typical value of a data set?

1. Measure of centrality

2. Mode

3. Measure of central tendency

4. Mean

The correct answer is: Measure of central tendency

The term that best describes a numerical value providing a typical value of a data set is "measure of central tendency." This concept encompasses various statistical measures that aim to highlight the center or typical point of a dataset, such as the mean, median, and mode. The measure of central tendency gives insights into the overall characteristics of the data, making it easier to understand and interpret. For instance, it summarizes a large set of numbers into a single representative value, which is particularly useful when comparing different data sets or when making predictions. While the mean is one specific type of measure of central tendency, and the mode is another, the broader term includes all methods of identifying the center of a data distribution. Therefore, the more encompassing term correctly describes what is sought in the question.