In 2011 current population survey conducted by the us census bureau, two average household income were reported: $49,445 and $67,530. One of these averages is the mean and the other is the median. Which is the mean? Help!!!!

Question

anonymous · Answer

Someone please help me on this problem I beg!

anonymous · Answer

I want to know how to tell which one is the median and which is the median

tkhunny · Answer

Household income is very, VERY skewed toward the higher numbers.

Ponder it for a moment.  What is the minimum household income?  What is the maximum household income?

Thus, the mean of household income will ALWAYS be higher than the median income - the median is far less sensitive to giant numbers.

anonymous · Answer

so basically the mean is always higher than the mean or only in incomes...

tkhunny · Answer

We're only talking about household income.

anonymous · Answer

thx love ya

tkhunny · Answer

1 2 5 12 12

Median is 5
Mean is 6.4

1 and 2 are not far from 5.
12 is much farther from 5.

This is the nature of household income.