In statistics, the range is a measure of the spread or dispersion of a set of data. It represents the difference between the largest and smallest values in a dataset. The range provides a simple way to understand the variability or extent of values within a dataset.
The concept of range has been used in statistics for centuries. The earliest known use of range can be traced back to the 17th century when it was introduced by the English mathematician and physician John Wallis. Since then, range has become a fundamental concept in statistical analysis and is widely used in various fields such as economics, social sciences, and natural sciences.
The concept of range is typically introduced in middle school or early high school mathematics courses. It is a fundamental concept in statistics and is covered in introductory statistics courses at the college level as well.
To understand the concept of range, one should have a basic understanding of data sets and how to find the maximum and minimum values within a set. Here are the step-by-step explanations:
There is only one type of range in statistics, which is the absolute range. It represents the absolute difference between the maximum and minimum values in a dataset.
The range possesses the following properties:
To find or calculate the range, follow these steps:
The formula for calculating the range is as follows:
Range = Maximum Value - Minimum Value
To apply the range formula, simply substitute the maximum and minimum values from the dataset into the formula and subtract the minimum from the maximum.
For example, if we have a dataset {2, 5, 8, 10, 12}, the maximum value is 12 and the minimum value is 2. Substituting these values into the formula, we get:
Range = 12 - 2 = 10
Therefore, the range of this dataset is 10.
The symbol used to represent range is "R".
The range can be calculated using different methods, depending on the nature of the dataset. Some common methods include:
Example 1: Consider the dataset {4, 7, 9, 11, 15}. The maximum value is 15, and the minimum value is 4. Therefore, the range is:
Range = 15 - 4 = 11
Example 2: Suppose we have a dataset {2, 4, 6, 8, 10}. The maximum value is 10, and the minimum value is 2. Thus, the range is:
Range = 10 - 2 = 8
Example 3: Let's take the dataset {1, 3, 5, 7, 9}. The maximum value is 9, and the minimum value is 1. Hence, the range is:
Range = 9 - 1 = 8
Question: What is range (in statistics)? Answer: Range is a statistical measure that represents the difference between the largest and smallest values in a dataset, providing insight into the spread or dispersion of the data.