The mean can be a misleading measure of central tendency when:
A) the distribution is very close together
B) the distribution is very spread apart
C) the mean, median and mode equal zero
D) none of the above, the mean is never misleading

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mean can be misleading in distributions that are very spread apart, as extreme values can pull the mean in their direction and make it an unrepresentative measure of the center. In such cases, the median or mode may be better alternatives for describing the typical value of the variable in question. Choices A and C are not correct: a very close or symmetric distribution does not necessarily imply that the mean is a good measure of central tendency, and the fact that the mean, median, and mode equal zero is not a sufficient condition to conclude that the mean is misleading (it depends on the shape and range of the distribution). Choice D is incorrect because the mean can be misleading in certain situations as explained above.

The Mean Can Be a Misleading Measure of Central Tendency