Central Tendency Worksheet | Grade 6 Printable

This Grade 6 math worksheet helps students master choosing the best measure of central tendency using real-world sports stadium data. Students analyze data sets to calculate mean, median, and mode, then justify which measure best represents the data.

At a Glance

• Grade: Grade 6 · Subject: Math
• Standard: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5 — Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context
• Skill Focus: Mean, median, mode, and data distribution analysis
• Format: 2 pages · 5 problems · Answer key included · PDF
• Best For: Independent practice or homework
• Time: 20–30 minutes

What's Inside

This resource contains a one-page student worksheet and a one-page answer key. The worksheet features a data table comparing South American and North American sports stadium capacities. Students answer five questions requiring them to calculate mean, median, and mode, and write justifications explaining how outliers affect these measures.

Zero-Prep Workflow

This resource is designed for immediate classroom deployment with under 2 minutes of teacher prep. Follow this three-step workflow:

• Print (1 minute): Print the student worksheet and answer key.
• Distribute (1 minute): Hand out the worksheet to students.
• Review (5 minutes): Use the detailed answer key to review answers with the class.

This self-explanatory layout makes it ideal for emergency sub plans.

Standards Alignment

This worksheet aligns with CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5, requiring students to summarize numerical data sets in context. It supports CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.C by prompting students to choose the most appropriate measure of center based on data distribution. Both standard codes can be copied directly into lesson plans, IEP goals, or district curriculum mapping tools.

How to Use It

Use this worksheet for independent practice after students learn mean, median, and mode. During the activity, observe if students recognize how the outlier of 80,000 in the South American data set skews the mean. Students typically complete the five questions within 20 to 30 minutes.

Who It's For

This activity is designed for sixth-grade math students learning statistics. To differentiate, pair this worksheet with a visual anchor chart showing symmetric versus skewed distributions, or use it alongside a direct instruction lesson on data outliers.

This statistics worksheet targets CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5 by requiring students to calculate and compare measures of central tendency using real-world data. Research by Fisher & Frey (2014) indicates that structured tasks transitioning from basic computation to written mathematical justification solidify conceptual understanding in middle school mathematics. By analyzing how outliers impact the mean and median of stadium capacities, students move beyond rote calculation to high-level analysis. The inclusion of a complete answer key with step-by-step calculations supports teacher efficiency and immediate feedback. This resource provides a practical, evidence-based approach to developing data literacy, ensuring students can determine which measure of center best represents a given data set. Educators can confidently integrate this worksheet into their curriculum to meet rigorous state standards and support diverse student learning needs.