What the mode is
The mode is the value that appears most often in a data set. A data set can have one mode, more than one mode, or no mode if every value appears the same number of times.
Method
- List the data carefully. Read every value exactly as written.
- Count each value. Tally how many times each number appears.
- Compare the frequencies. The value with the highest count is the mode.
- Simplify the final answer. If there is more than one value tied for the highest frequency, list all of them. If no value repeats, state that there is no mode.
Example of the reasoning
If a number appears 4 times and every other number appears fewer times, that number is the mode. If two numbers each appear 3 times and no other number appears 3 times, then both are modes.
Check your work
Make sure:
- you counted every value once,
- you did not confuse the mode with the middle value or the average,
- your final answer includes every tied mode, if there is one.
A quick recount is the best way to confirm your answer.