Final answer:
When the mean is lower than the median and mode, it indicates a skewed distribution.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the mean is lower than the median and mode, it indicates a skewed distribution. In a skewed distribution, the data is not evenly spread out and is pulled towards one side or the other. If the mean is lower than the median and mode, it suggests that the distribution is skewed to the left.
For example, if we have a set of numbers {1, 3, 5, 6, 8}, the mean is 4.6, the median is 5, and the mode is not defined since all numbers appear only once. In this case, the mean is lower than the median and the mode, confirming that the distribution is skewed to the left.
The mean represents the average value of the data, the median represents the middle value, and the mode represents the most frequently occurring value. By comparing these measures, we can understand the shape and skewness of the distribution.