Median

The median is a statistical measure that identifies the middle value in a set of data when the values are arranged in numerical order. It is the value that separates the higher half from the lower half of a data set.

Finding the Median

To find the median of a set of numbers:

1. Arrange the numbers in ascending order (from lowest to highest).
2. If the number of values is odd, the median is the middle number. If the number of values is even, the median is the average of the two middle numbers.

Example:

Find the median of the following set of numbers: 7, 2, 10, 5, 8, 12, 6

Arranging the numbers in ascending order: 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

Since there are 7 numbers (an odd number), the median is the middle number, which is 7.

Study Guide

Here are some key points to remember about medians:

• The median is not affected by extreme values (outliers) in the data set, making it a more reliable measure of central tendency than the mean in some cases.
• When the data set is small, it's relatively easy to find the median by arranging the numbers in order. For larger data sets, the median can be found using statistical software or calculators.
• Understanding the concept of median is important in various real-life situations, such as analyzing salaries, test scores, and other numerical data.

Practice calculating the median with different sets of numbers to strengthen your understanding of this statistical measure.

Now that you have a good understanding of the median, try some practice problems to reinforce your knowledge!

[Median] Related Worksheets and Study Guides:

• Data AnalysisMathematics • Fourth Grade
• Collecting and describing dataMathematics • Eighth Grade