The number of malaria cases repoed during the last 10 years in a town is given below, 250, 320, 190, 300, 5000, 100, 260, 350, 320, and 160. The epidemiologist wants to find out the average number of malaria cases repoed in that town during the last 10 years. The most appropriate measure of average for this data will be-

**Core Concept**
The epidemiologist needs to calculate a measure of central tendency that accurately represents the average number of malaria cases reported in the town over the last 10 years. The dataset shows a mix of low and high values, indicating the presence of outliers.

**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The dataset contains an outlier, which is the value 5000. This value is significantly higher than the other values and can skew the mean, making it an unreliable measure of central tendency. The median, on the other hand, is the middle value of the dataset when it is arranged in ascending order. Since there are 10 values (an even number), the median will be the average of the 5th and 6th values. This makes it a more robust measure of central tendency, less affected by outliers.

**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** The mode is the most frequently occurring value in the dataset. However, this value may not necessarily represent the average number of malaria cases reported, especially when there are outliers.
**Option B:** The range is the difference between the highest and lowest values in the dataset. It is a measure of variability, not a measure of central tendency.
**Option C:** The standard deviation is a measure of variability, which is not what the epidemiologist is looking for.

**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
When dealing with datasets that contain outliers, it's essential to consider using the median as a measure of central tendency to avoid skewing the results.

**Correct Answer: C. Median.**

✓ Correct Answer: C. Median