Question

a) Determine the mode of the data.
b) Decide whether it would be appropriate to use either the mean or median as a measure of center. Explain your answer.
Prime time Broadcast Shows. From the TV by the Numbers TV shows by total viewership for the week ending August 18, 2013

Short answer

a) CBS.

b) No, it would not be appropriate to use either the mean or the median as a measure of center.

For categorical variables, the mean or median cannot be determined. The supplied variable "network" is categorical in this case. When the data is quantitative, the mean and median may be found.

The only way to determine the centre of qualitative data (categorical) is to use the mode.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1. Given information.

We have given data of total viewership for the week ending August$18,2013$

Step 2. To find mode.

The greatest frequency is the mode of the data set.

Thus, the mode of the data set is CBS.

Step 3. Decide either the mean or median as a measure of center. 

For categorical variables, the mean or median can't be determined.

"Network" is a category variable in this case. When the data is quantitative, the mean and median can be calculated.

The only measure of centre for qualitative data (categorical) is mode.