To find the range of a data set, follow these simple steps:
- Arrange all the data values in order from the smallest to the largest.
- Identify the smallest value (minimum) and the largest value (maximum).
- Subtract the smallest value from the largest value.
The formula for range is:
Range=Maximum value−Minimum value\text{Range}=\text{Maximum value}-\text{Minimum value}Range=Maximum value−Minimum value
The range gives a measure of how spread out the data values are, with a larger range indicating more variability. For example, if the highest value is 37 and the lowest value is 19, the range is 37−19=1837-19=1837−19=18.
This is the most straightforward measure of variability in a data set and applies whether the values are positive, negative, whole numbers, or fractions.
