What is the difference between the highest and lowest number in a data set called?

The term that describes the difference between the highest and lowest numbers in a data set is known as the range. The range provides a measure of how spread out the values in a data set are. It is calculated by subtracting the smallest value (the minimum) from the largest value (the maximum). This concept is particularly useful in statistics as it gives a quick snapshot of the variability within the data.

For example, if a data set includes the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, and 23, the highest number is 23 and the lowest is 4. Thus, the range would be 23 - 4, which equals 19. This indicates that the values in this dataset span a distance of 19 units.

The other options refer to different statistical concepts. The average, or mean, is the sum of the numbers divided by the count of the numbers, providing a measure of central tendency. The median is the middle value in a data set when the numbers are arranged in order, which also serves as a measure of central tendency but is influenced less by extreme values. Variance measures how far individual data points are from the mean and from each other, reflecting the degree of spread in the data.