Median

The median of a set of numbers is the middle number when the numbers are listed in order from least to greatest. If there is an even number of values, the median is the average of the two middle numbers.

Calculating the Median

To find the median of a set of numbers:

1. Arrange the numbers in ascending order.
2. If the total number of values is odd, the median is the middle number.
3. If the total 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: 4, 7, 2, 9, 5, 8, 3

First, arrange the numbers in ascending order: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9

Since there are 7 numbers, which is odd, the median is the fourth number, which is 5.

Study Guide

Here are some key points to remember when working with the median:

• The median is not affected by extreme values, unlike the mean.
• 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.

Practice finding the median of different sets of numbers to become more comfortable with the concept.

Remember that the median helps us understand the middle value of a set of numbers and is a useful measure of central tendency.

[Median] Related Worksheets and Study Guides:

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