What is the formula to calculate the range of a dataset?

The formula to calculate the range of a dataset is the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value. This means that the range provides a measure of how spread out the values are in a dataset. By subtracting the minimum value from the maximum value, you can determine the extent of the distribution of the numbers.

For instance, if the maximum value in a dataset is 15 and the minimum value is 5, the calculation would be 15 - 5, resulting in a range of 10. This simple yet effective formula gives a clear picture of the variability in the data set, which is essential in many statistical analyses.

Understanding this concept helps clarify why the other options do not represent the range accurately. The first option suggests adding the maximum and minimum, which does not reflect the spread of data. The third option incorporates the average along with the highest value, which does not pertain to the concept of range at all. Lastly, the fourth option incorrectly reverses the roles of lowest and highest, resulting in a negative value where a simple difference is desired to show the extent of variation. Thus, the correct assessment of the range reflects the fundamental nature of data distribution by using the maximum and minimum values.