Question

the responses of a sample of 5204 shoppers who were asked how their purchases are made are shown in the table. find the mean, the median, and the mode of the data, if possible. if any measure cannot be found or does not represent the center of the data, explain why.
how purchases are made frequency, f
research online and in - store, buy in store 2228
search and buy online 1121
search and buy in store 520
research online and in store, buy online 1337
a. the median represents the center of the data set.
b. the median does not represent the center because it is the least data entry.
c. the median does not represent the center because it is the greatest data entry.
d. the median does not represent the center because it is not a data entry.
e. the data set does not have a median.
find the mode. choose the correct answer below.
search and buy online
research online and in store, buy online
research online and in store, buy in store
search and buy in store
the data set does not have a mode.
does the mode represent a typical entry of the data? choose the correct answer below.
a. the mode represents a typical entry of the data set.
b. the mode does not represent the center because it is the last data entry in the table.
c. the mode does not represent the center because it is not a data entry.
d. the mode does not represent the center because it is the first data entry in the table.
e. the data set does not have a mode.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall the concept of mean for non - numerical data

The data about how purchases are made is categorical (not numerical), so the mean cannot be calculated.

Step2: Recall the concept of median for non - numerical data

The median is the middle value when data is ordered. For categorical data, there is no natural ordering for calculating a median in a traditional sense, so the data set does not have a median.

Step3: Recall the concept of mode for non - numerical data

The mode is the most frequently occurring value. Here, the category "Research online and in store, buy in store" has the highest frequency (2228), so it is the mode. And since it has the highest frequency, it represents a typical entry of the data set.

Answer:

The data set does not have a mean.
E. The data set does not have a median
Research online and in store, buy in store
A. The mode represents a typical entry of the data set.