,Liberty University PSYC 354 Quiz 2 | Statistics for the
Social Sciences (2026) Q&A
1. Which of the following best defines a measure of central tendency?
A) A score that indicates the spread of a distribution
B) A single score that represents the center or typical value of a distribution
C) The difference between the highest and lowest scores
D) A graph that displays the frequency of each score
Correct Answer: A single score that represents the center or typical value of a distribution
Rationale: A measure of central tendency is a statistical measure that identifies a single score
as representative of an entire distribution. The goal is to find the most typical or central value.
The three main measures are the mean, median, and mode.
2. Which measure of central tendency is defined as the arithmetic average of all scores in a
distribution?
A) Median
B) Mode
C) Mean
D) Range
Correct Answer: Mean
Rationale: The mean is the arithmetic average, calculated by summing all scores and
dividing by the total number of scores. It is the most commonly used measure of central
tendency and is symbolized by M for a sample and μ for a population.
3. The median is defined as which of the following?
A) The most frequently occurring score in a distribution
,B) The score that falls exactly in the middle of a distribution when scores are ordered
C) The arithmetic average of all scores
D) The difference between the highest and lowest scores
Correct Answer: The score that falls exactly in the middle of a distribution when scores are
ordered
Rationale: The median is the midpoint of a distribution when scores are arranged from
lowest to highest. It divides the distribution into two equal halves, with 50% of scores above
and 50% below. It is less affected by outliers than the mean.
4. Which measure of central tendency is the only one appropriate for nominal data?
A) Mean
B) Median
C) Mode
D) Standard deviation
Correct Answer: Mode
Rationale: The mode is the only measure of central tendency that can be used with nominal
data because it simply identifies the most frequently occurring category. The mean and
median require numerical or ordinal data. The mode can be used with any scale of
measurement.
5. A distribution has the following scores: 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7. What is the mode?
A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 6
Correct Answer: 5
, Rationale: The mode is the most frequently occurring score. In this distribution, the score 5
appears three times, which is more than any other score. Therefore, the mode is 5. This
distribution is unimodal.
6. For the scores 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, what is the median?
A) 12
B) 14
C) 16
D) 18
Correct Answer: 14
Rationale: With an odd number of scores, the median is the middle score when the data are
ordered. The scores are already ordered: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18. The middle score is 14. Therefore,
the median is 14.
7. What is the mean of the following scores: 4, 8, 6, 10, 12?
A) 6
B) 8
C) 10
D) 12
Correct Answer: 8
Rationale: The mean is calculated by summing all scores and dividing by the number of
scores. Sum = 4 + 8 + 6 + 10 + 12 = 40. Number of scores = 5. Mean = = 8.
8. Which measure of central tendency is most affected by extreme scores or outliers?
A) Median
B) Mode
Social Sciences (2026) Q&A
1. Which of the following best defines a measure of central tendency?
A) A score that indicates the spread of a distribution
B) A single score that represents the center or typical value of a distribution
C) The difference between the highest and lowest scores
D) A graph that displays the frequency of each score
Correct Answer: A single score that represents the center or typical value of a distribution
Rationale: A measure of central tendency is a statistical measure that identifies a single score
as representative of an entire distribution. The goal is to find the most typical or central value.
The three main measures are the mean, median, and mode.
2. Which measure of central tendency is defined as the arithmetic average of all scores in a
distribution?
A) Median
B) Mode
C) Mean
D) Range
Correct Answer: Mean
Rationale: The mean is the arithmetic average, calculated by summing all scores and
dividing by the total number of scores. It is the most commonly used measure of central
tendency and is symbolized by M for a sample and μ for a population.
3. The median is defined as which of the following?
A) The most frequently occurring score in a distribution
,B) The score that falls exactly in the middle of a distribution when scores are ordered
C) The arithmetic average of all scores
D) The difference between the highest and lowest scores
Correct Answer: The score that falls exactly in the middle of a distribution when scores are
ordered
Rationale: The median is the midpoint of a distribution when scores are arranged from
lowest to highest. It divides the distribution into two equal halves, with 50% of scores above
and 50% below. It is less affected by outliers than the mean.
4. Which measure of central tendency is the only one appropriate for nominal data?
A) Mean
B) Median
C) Mode
D) Standard deviation
Correct Answer: Mode
Rationale: The mode is the only measure of central tendency that can be used with nominal
data because it simply identifies the most frequently occurring category. The mean and
median require numerical or ordinal data. The mode can be used with any scale of
measurement.
5. A distribution has the following scores: 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 7. What is the mode?
A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 6
Correct Answer: 5
, Rationale: The mode is the most frequently occurring score. In this distribution, the score 5
appears three times, which is more than any other score. Therefore, the mode is 5. This
distribution is unimodal.
6. For the scores 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, what is the median?
A) 12
B) 14
C) 16
D) 18
Correct Answer: 14
Rationale: With an odd number of scores, the median is the middle score when the data are
ordered. The scores are already ordered: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18. The middle score is 14. Therefore,
the median is 14.
7. What is the mean of the following scores: 4, 8, 6, 10, 12?
A) 6
B) 8
C) 10
D) 12
Correct Answer: 8
Rationale: The mean is calculated by summing all scores and dividing by the number of
scores. Sum = 4 + 8 + 6 + 10 + 12 = 40. Number of scores = 5. Mean = = 8.
8. Which measure of central tendency is most affected by extreme scores or outliers?
A) Median
B) Mode
