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What is defined as the difference between the greatest value and the least value in a data set?

  1. Mean

  2. Range

  3. Median

  4. Variance

The correct answer is: Range

The term that describes the difference between the greatest value and the least value in a data set is indeed the range. The range provides a simple measure of the spread or dispersion within the data. To find it, you subtract the smallest number in the set from the largest number, which gives you a clear indication of how much the values vary from one another. The mean, on the other hand, represents the average of the data set and doesn't capture the spread of values. The median is the middle value when the data set is ordered, which also doesn't indicate the extent of value differences. Variance measures how far each number in the data set is from the mean but is a more complex calculation and also does not directly reflect the difference between the maximum and minimum values. Thus, range is the most straightforward term to define the difference between the greatest and least values in a data set.