Final answer:
The average on a stanine scale is typically represented by scores ranging from 4 to 6, with 5 being the exact midpoint. Stanine scores correlate to percentiles, and the middle range represents the average scoring segment of the population.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the stanine scoring system, which uses a 9-unit scale, the average is typically represented by the score range of 4 to 6. This range corresponds to the center of the distribution, with 5 being the exact midpoint. In educational assessments and psychological testing where stanines are used, a score of 5 is considered the average.
Stanines are based on standard deviations and percentiles. Values around the mean are the most common, and as one moves away from the middle of the scale, scores become progressively less frequent. Specifically, the stanine scores are grouped such that a score of 1 represents the lowest 4%, a score of 2 covers from the 5th to the 11th percentile, and so forth, with a score of 9 representing the highest 4%. The scores from 4 to 6 include the middle 20th to 60th percentiles and depict what would be considered the average range.