Final answer:
The median is the value in the middle of a sorted data set, which effectively divides the set into two equal halves. If the data set has an odd number of values, the median is the middle value; for an even number of values, it's the average of the two middle values. The median is less affected by outliers compared to the mean.
Step-by-step explanation:
The value that would be right in the middle if you were to sort the data from smallest to largest is called the median. The median is a statistical measure that indicates the middle of a data set when it is arranged in ascending order. To determine the median:
- Arrange data from smallest to largest.
- Find the middle value, ensuring that there is an equal number of data points above and below it.
- If there is an even number of data values, calculate the median by averaging the two middle values.
For example, if a list of numbers is 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, the median is 7 because it is the number in the middle. If we have 2, 4, 6, 8, the median is the average of 4 and 6, which is 5.
The median is especially useful when the data set has outliers or extreme values because, unlike the mean, it is not affected by very large or very small numbers.