Mode, range, median and mean explained

This KS2 activity was created by a primary school teacher to help your Year 6 child understand maths concepts and build confidence with calculating the mode, range, median or mean.

What is the mean, range, median and mean?

The mean is what most people commonly refer to as the average. To find the mean, you add up all the numbers in a set and then divide by the total.

Here is an example of how to find the mean:

Imagine your child's test scores are 80, 85 and 90:

1. You will need to add the scores: 80 + 85 + 90 = 255

2. Then divide by the number of scores: 255 ÷ 3 = 85 

   So, the mean score is 85.

The range shows the difference between the highest and lowest numbers in a set. It's a simple way to understand how spread out the numbers are.

Here is an example of how to find the range: 

Using the same scores as above (80, 85 and 90):

1. You can see that the highest score is 90.
2. You can also see that the lowest score is 80.

3. You need to subtract the lowest score from the highest: 90 - 80 = 10 

   So, the range is 10.

The median is the middle number in a set of numbers when they are arranged in order. If there's an even number of scores, the median is the average of the two middle numbers.

Example of finding the median:

Using the scores: 80, 85, 90

1. Arrange the scores in order: 80, 85, 90

2. You can see that the middle number is 85. 

   So, the median is 85.

The mode is the number that appears most frequently in a set. Some sets can have more than one mode, or no mode at all if no number repeats.

Example of finding the mode

Use the scores: 80, 85, 85, 90

1. The number 85 appears twice, which is more frequent than the others. 

   So, the mode is 85.

How will this Year 6 worksheet help your child with their maths skills?

This activity was created by an experienced educator and includes an easy-to-understand definition of each process and a clear example. Then your child will need to put their skills to the test! 

Find more help and support with Year 6 maths by visiting our hub page, or try a new maths challenge such as our Fractions problem worksheet.