Final answer:
The correct answer is option c) mean. The most probable average serving as the basis for the statement 'The average college professor is a white male' is the mode.
Step-by-step explanation:
When we consider how averages are calculated, the mean is the sum of all values divided by the number of values, which could be influenced by the highs and lows in a data set. The mode is the most frequently occurring value and the median is the middle value when data is ordered. Given the context of the statement 'The average college professor is a white male', it most likely refers to the most common characteristic in a population, thus implying the mode. However, since the phrase 'average college professor' could hint at demographics, if statistical data supports that white males are the most numerous group amongst college professors, mode would be the correct answer. It's worth noting that without specific data, these assessments are conjecture.
In this statement, the average college professor being referred to is likely the mean. The mean is calculated by summing up all the values and dividing by the total number of values. In this case, we are looking at the average characteristics of college professors, which would involve collecting data and calculating the mean demographic information, such as race and gender.
For example, if there are 100 college professors, and 70 of them are white males, the mean would reflect this information.