How is the range of a data set defined?

The range of a data set is defined as the difference between the highest and lowest numbers within that set. This measure provides insight into the spread of the data points, indicating how much variation exists. For example, if a data set consists of the numbers 3, 7, and 10, the range would be calculated by subtracting the lowest value (3) from the highest value (10), resulting in a range of 7.

Understanding the range is important, as it helps to summarize the distribution of values and can indicate the extent of variation. The other choices describe different statistical concepts: the total number of items refers to the count of data points, the sum represents the total value of all data points combined, and the average denotes the mean of the data set, which is different from the range.