What is the range of a data set?

The range of a data set is defined as the difference between the highest and lowest values in that set. This measure gives you an idea of how spread out the values are within the data set. By calculating the range, you can quickly assess the extent of variation among the data points, which is particularly useful in understanding the overall distribution.

For instance, if you have a set of data with a highest value of 50 and a lowest value of 10, the range would be 50 - 10 = 40. This indicates that there is a significant spread in the values. Knowing the range helps in various statistical contexts, like identifying outliers and understanding the variability of the data, which cannot be determined by other measures such as the average or the mode.

Average, frequently occurring values, and sums divided by counts provide different insights into data sets but do not reflect how far apart the maximum and minimum values are. Therefore, defining the range as the difference between the highest and lowest values is an accurate and practical way to evaluate the extent of variation within any data set.