Final answer:
The two measures of the center of a distribution are the mean and the median. The mean represents the average while the median represents the middle value. The mean is preferred when there are no extreme values, while the median is preferred when there are extreme values or outliers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two measures of the center of a distribution are the mean and the median. The mean is found by adding up all the values in the data set and dividing by the total number of values. The median is the middle value of the data set when it is ordered from least to greatest.
The mean is preferred when there are no extreme values or outliers in the data set. It takes into account all the values and provides a good representation of the average.
The median is preferred when there are extreme values or outliers in the data set. It is not affected by the precise numerical values of the outliers and gives a better representation of the typical value in such cases.