Documentation/How Tos/Calc: MODE function

MODE

Returns the most common value in a data set.

Syntax:

MODE(number1; number2; ... number30)

number1 to number30 are up to 30 numbers or ranges containing numbers.

MODE returns the number that occurs most often, or if more than one number occurs that many times, the smallest such number. If no number occurs more than once, MODE returns an error.

Advanced topic: MODE evaluates as an array formula - see the examples.

Example:

MODE(3; 7; 3; 9; 9; 3; 5; 1; 8; 5)

returns 3, the number occuring most often.

Evaluation as an array formula:

MODE(ABS({1; 1; 1; 2; 2; -2; -2}))

returns 2. The ABS function normally takes a single number, but here it is given an array. MODE forces the formula to be an array formula, so that the absolute value of each number in the array is found, and given to MODE as the array {1; 1; 1; 2; 2; 2; 2}. The most common value is now 2.

See also:

AVERAGE, AVERAGEA, MEDIAN

ABS

Statistical functions

Using Arrays