Find the median
The median is the middle value of a data set after the numbers are put in order from least to greatest. It tells you the center of the data, and it is not the same as the mean.
Method
- List the values in order from smallest to largest.
- Count how many values there are.
- If the count is odd, the median is the single middle number.
- If the count is even, the median is the average of the two middle numbers.
- Write the result in its simplest form.
Important details
- Make sure the data are ordered before choosing the middle.
- If you have two middle numbers, add them and divide by 2.
- The median can be a whole number, a fraction, or a decimal depending on the data.
Check your answer
After finding the median, compare it to the ordered list. It should be the value that splits the data into two equal halves, with about half the numbers on each side. If you used two middle numbers, check that your average is correct.