What Does Median Mean?
The median is a statistical term that represents the middle value in a list of numbers sorted in ascending or descending order. It is a measure of central tendency, which helps to understand the typical value in a data set.
How to Find the Median:
- Arrange the numbers from smallest to largest.
- 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:
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For the data set: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11
The median is 7 (the middle number). -
For the data set: 3, 5, 7, 9
The median is (5 + 7) / 2 = 6.
Why Use Median?
- The median is useful because it is not affected by extremely high or low values (outliers), unlike the mean (average).
- It gives a better sense of the "typical" value when data is skewed.
If you want, I can help you calculate the median for your specific data!
