Median is defined as which of the following?

Median is defined as which of the following?

• A. The value that occurs most often
• B. The average
• C. The midpoint in a series of values
• D. The maximum value

Answer: (C)

Median measures the middle value of a data set when the numbers are ordered from smallest to largest. To find it, line up the values and pick the value exactly in the middle; if there are an even number of values, the median is the average of the two central numbers. This is why it matches the idea of a midpoint in a series of values. It differs from the value that occurs most often (mode), the average (mean), and the maximum value. For example, with 1, 3, 3, 7, 9 the median is 3; with 1, 2, 3, 4 the median is (2+3)/2 = 2.5.

Median measures the middle value of a data set when the numbers are ordered from smallest to largest. To find it, line up the values and pick the value exactly in the middle; if there are an even number of values, the median is the average of the two central numbers. This is why it matches the idea of a midpoint in a series of values. It differs from the value that occurs most often (mode), the average (mean), and the maximum value. For example, with 1, 3, 3, 7, 9 the median is 3; with 1, 2, 3, 4 the median is (2+3)/2 = 2.5.