Mode in Statistics

In this article, we will learn about the mode, what it is, and how to find it within a table of frequency distribution.
We know it might seem complicated, but we assure you it's a very simple and easy topic.

Mode is synonymous with "the most frequent value". When we are asked what the mode is, in fact, we are being asked what is the most frequent number within the total set of numbers.
That is, mode is the number that appears the most times within the set.

Here is a set of numbers: $4,15,34,4,15,4$
What is the mode?

Solution:
As we have seen, the mode is the number that appears the most times.
In the given set of numbers:
The number $4$ appears $3$ times
The number $15$ appears two times
And the number $34$ appears once.

Therefore, $4$ is the mode.

When we are asked what the frequency of a certain number is, in fact, we are being asked how frequent it is or, in other words, how many times it appears in the set.
Therefore, we have to count the number of times that number appears in the set and this will be the frequency.

Here is a set of numbers: $3,3,8,12,3,4,8$
What is the frequency of the number $8$?

Solution:
Let's see how many times the number $8$ appears in the set.
The answer is two. Therefore, the frequency of the number $8$ is $2$.
How is the mode found in the frequency distribution?
In the frequency distribution table, we see all the data neatly organized, showing us how many times each number appears, saving us from counting them on our own.
In the table, we can easily find the mode - it is the number that appears the most times.

Here is a frequency distribution table:

What is the mode grade (or score)?

Solution:
Great! The frequency distribution table shows us exactly how many students got each grade. The mode is the most common number, in our case the most frequent grade.
In the table, we can see that the grade $80$ has the highest number of students – $13$, therefore, it can be said that the majority of the students got $80$.
Thus, the mode is $80$.

What is the frequency of the grade $60$?
Solution:
In fact, we are asked how frequent the grade $60$ is, in other words, how many students received it.
We can find the answer by looking at the table and seeing that $5$ students received $60$.
Therefore, the frequency of the grade $60$ is $5$.