Understanding the Median in Statistics | Definition, Calculation, and Importance

Median

In statistics, the median refers to a measure of central tendency that divides a dataset into two equal halves

In statistics, the median refers to a measure of central tendency that divides a dataset into two equal halves. To determine the median, you arrange the data in ascending or descending order and find the middle value. If the dataset has an odd number of values, the median is the middle number. However, if the dataset has an even number of values, the median is the average of the two middle numbers.

Let’s consider an example to understand the concept further. Suppose we have the following dataset of ages: 16, 18, 20, 21, 25, 30, 35. To find the median, we first arrange the ages in ascending order: 16, 18, 20, 21, 25, 30, 35. As there are 7 values, which is odd, the median will be the middle value. In this case, the median age is 21, as it is the fourth value in the ordered list.

Now, let’s consider another example with an even number of values: 12, 15, 18, 20, 23, 27. Again, we arrange the values in ascending order: 12, 15, 18, 20, 23, 27. Since there are 6 values, which is even, the median will be the average of the two middle values. In this case, the two middle numbers are 18 and 20. Taking their average, we get a median of 19.

The median is particularly useful in situations where extreme values or outliers might distort the mean. Unlike the mean, which can be heavily influenced by outliers, the median is more resistant to extreme values and provides a better representation of the “typical” value in the dataset.

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