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An Elegant Mode for Determining the Mode

by D. S. Broca

This article originally appeared in:
College Mathematics Journal
March, 2006

Subject classification(s): Calculus | Single Variable Calculus | Differentiation | Statistics and Probability | Data Summary and Presentation | Summary Statistics
Applicable Course(s): 3.1 Mainstream Calculus I | 3.4 Non-mainstream Calc I | 6.1 Probability & Statistics

A technique is introduced for the purpose of finding the relative maximum values of the probability density function. The crux is to find the critical numbers of the exponential of the function instead of the function itself. This results in the same points with much simpler procedures. The same technique can be introduced in lectures of finding critical values in single-variable calculus courses.


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Capsule Course Topic(s):
One-Variable Calculus | Differentiation: Definition and Elementary Application
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