- Definition
An outlier is a piece of information that stands out because it's very different from all the other information collected.
In the data set of test scores {85, 90, 88, 92, 34}, the score of 34 is an outlier because it is much lower than the others.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: An outlier is like that one super-tall friend in a group where everyone else is about the same height.
Ask your child: If we looked at our family's bedtimes, would anyone be an outlier?
Common mix-up: Kids may think an outlier is just a mistake to be thrown out. It's a real data point that might signal something interesting or unusual worth investigating.
Examples
- In a list of daily temperatures for July, a day that was 10°C would be an outlier.
- On a graph showing house prices in a neighborhood, a single mansion priced much higher than the rest is an outlier.
outlier is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
