Which measure describes the spread between the highest and lowest values in a data set?

• A. Mean
• B. Median
• C. Mode
• D. Range

Answer: (D)

Spread in a data set is about how far apart the values are. The measure that describes this by using the extreme values is the range: it’s found by subtracting the smallest value from the largest value. For example, if the data go from 2 to 15, the range is 13, which tells you how wide the data extend.

The mean is the average, which describes the center of the data but not how spread out they are. The median is the middle value after ordering, also a measure of center. The mode is the most frequently occurring value, which highlights a common value rather than spread. The range uniquely captures the spread between the highest and lowest values.