Module 4 Worksheet: Centre, Spread, and Distribution Shape
Scenario
A report quotes an average. Looking at the individual values, you suspect the average describes almost nobody.
Data
Dataset: delivery-times.csv
| order_id | city_zone | delivery_minutes |
|---|---|---|
| D01 | North | 28 |
| D02 | North | 32 |
| D03 | North | 30 |
| D04 | North | 35 |
| D05 | North | 29 |
| D06 | North | 31 |
Your Task
Compare mean and median for the South zone and explain why they differ.
Questions
- What is the mean, and what is the median?
- Which better describes a typical case here?
- What does the spread tell you that neither does?
- Is there an extreme value, and what is it likely to be?
- Should it be excluded? Say what you would do instead.
- What summary would you publish?
- What limitation belongs beside it?
Write Your Conclusion
Report the mean and the median together, and explain in one sentence what the gap between them means.
Self-Check
- Did I calculate both the mean and the median?
- Did I describe the spread as well as the centre?
- Did I investigate the extreme value rather than dropping it?
- Would a reader know which figure to use?