What is the name of the difference between the greatest and smallest numbers in a set?

The term that describes the difference between the greatest and smallest numbers in a set is known as the range. To find the range, you subtract the smallest value in the set from the largest value. This measurement gives an indication of how spread out the values are in the dataset. It highlights the extent of variation and helps to understand the distribution of the data.

For example, if you have a set of numbers like 3, 7, and 10, you can identify that 10 is the greatest number and 3 is the smallest. The range would be calculated as 10 - 3, which equals 7. This value (7) tells you how much difference there is between the highest and lowest points in your dataset.

Other statistical terms, such as mean, median, and mode, serve different purposes: the mean is the average of the numbers; the median is the middle value when the numbers are arranged in order; and the mode is the value that appears most frequently in the dataset. Understanding these definitions is crucial for interpreting data effectively.