2. When we are dealing with nominal data, we typically prefer to use the mode as the preferred measure of center. Why are we unable to use the mean as the measure of center for nominal data?

Glencoe Algebra 1, Student Edition, 9780079039897, 0079039898, 2018
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Chapter10: Statistics
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2. When we are dealing with nominal data, we typically prefer to use the mode as the preferred measure of center. Why are we
unable to use the mean as the measure of center for nominal data?
Transcribed Image Text:2. When we are dealing with nominal data, we typically prefer to use the mode as the preferred measure of center. Why are we unable to use the mean as the measure of center for nominal data?
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Step 1

Mode is the only measure of central tendency that is used when dealing with nominal data.

Nominal variable is a variable in which the data values are divided into categories. 

For example, if we want to categorise male and female respondents, we can use numbers 1 and 2 to represent them. That is, 1 for male and 2 for female. However, the values 1 and 2 in this case serve only as labels. They do not represent any meaningful order or carry any mathematical meaning.

Calculating mean of all 1's and 2's will not give us any mathematical meaning. Since, they are simply used as labels for male and female.

 

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