Mode Worksheets

Eight lists of seven numbers a sheet, and for each one the student writes the value that appears most often. No arithmetic is involved at all - the mode is found by counting, which is what makes it the easiest of the four to explain and the one worth reaching for when a class is losing confidence with the others.

Every list has exactly one mode, and that is built rather than hoped for: the repeated value is drawn first, and the rest of the list is filled with values distinct from it and from each other, so nothing can tie it. The repeat count is capped at half the list, because a list like 8, 8, 8, 8, 2, 8, 8 asks nothing - there is barely anything left for the repeats to stand out against.

Frequently asked questions

What is the mode of a list of numbers?

The value that appears most often. In 6, 12, 6, 5, 16, 3, 9 the value 6 appears twice and nothing else repeats, so the mode is 6.

Can a list have two modes?

Not on these sheets. The other values are drawn distinct from each other and from the repeated one, so exactly one value can ever be the most common - a student is never left choosing between two right answers.

How many times does the mode repeat?

At least twice, so it is a genuine repeat, and at most half the list rounded up, so the rest of the numbers still give it something to stand out against.

Is there a sheet with the other averages?

Mean Worksheets and Median Worksheets each drill one, Range Worksheets covers the spread, and the Mean, Median, Mode and Range page mixes all four on a single sheet.