How do you find the range of a set of numbers?

To determine the range of a set of numbers, you need to find the difference between the largest and smallest values in that set. By subtracting the smallest number from the largest number, you obtain the range, which represents the span or spread of values within the dataset. This calculation provides insight into how varied the numbers are – a larger range indicates greater variability among the numbers.

In practical terms, if you have a set of numbers such as 3, 7, and 14, the largest number is 14 and the smallest is 3. By performing the subtraction (14 - 3), you find that the range is 11, which tells you how much those numbers differ from each other in terms of their size.

The other methods of calculation listed do not yield the range of the dataset. Adding, averaging, or counting the elements would not give you the required measure of dispersion that the concept of range provides.