MathProblem-Solving & Data AnalysisHigh frequency
SAT Math: Identifying Outliers and Their Effect on Mean/Median
36+ practice questions in Praczo
What you need to know
The concept, explained
- 1
An outlier is a data point that is abnormally far from the rest of the dataset.
- 2
Key Rule: The MEAN is heavily affected by outliers, getting pulled toward extreme values.
- 3
The MEDIAN is highly resistant to outliers.
- 4
If a high outlier is removed from a dataset, the mean will decrease significantly, while the median will likely stay the same or change slightly.
Common mistakes
- ✗ Assuming the median changes as dramatically as the mean when an outlier is added or removed.
- ✗ Confusing the mean and median definitions when answering qualitative questions about skew.
Try a sample question
SAT-style practice
A dataset of five salaries is: (40k, )45k, (50k, )55k, and (900k. If the )900k salary is removed, which statement is true?
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