Math for Elementary Teachers II 1512

Mean, Median, Mode and Mid Range.

Sounds like a bunch of words that have nothing to do with math to me, well at first they do anyways. When I think of figuring out the Mean of a group of numbers I usually call it the average. It is the same procedure and gives you the same answer yet it has another name, why? To try and confuse me? Or is there a real reason that has logic behind it?

Median to me automatically makes me think of middle, which helps me remember what step this is; the middle number in a list of numbers. Nice and easy, especially if the list of numbers is an odd amount!

Mode, why not just say most? That would be easier for me to think of when I am trying to find a mode in a group of numbers. No mode, would mean there are no numbers that repeat themselves, so again most would still make sense (to me anyhow) because if there are no numbers that appear MORE than any other number then the answer is no.

Finally, the word Mid-Range, which for some odd reason makes me think of home on the range every time I see it. Kind of makes me chuckle, but of all the terms listed in this blog I would say this one is closet to what you are actually trying to figure out. So whomever made up these terms for these procedures gets a thumbs up on mid-range :)

Here is a catchy little tune for remembering these procedures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNdVynH6hcY