Which outcome is evaluated when determining the range of a data set?

When determining the range of a data set, the focus is on identifying the highest and lowest values within that set. The range is calculated by subtracting the smallest value from the largest value, which provides a measure of the spread or dispersion of the data. This means that by evaluating the highest and lowest values, one can effectively understand how far apart the values in the data set are from each other, giving insights into the extent of variation present.

The average would involve computing the mean of the data set, which reflects central tendencies but does not provide information about the spread. Variance measures the average of the squared differences from the mean, offering insights into how individual data points differ from the average. Central tendency is a broader term that encompasses different measures (including mean, median, and mode) that describe the center of the data, but it does not address the concept of spread represented by the range. Hence, focusing on the highest and lowest values is fundamental to evaluating the range of a data set.