Formula
An odd count uses the center number. An even count averages the two center numbers:
Median = middle value of the sorted list
A very large or very small number does not pull the median the way it pulls an average.
Assumptions
- The list is sorted by the page before the middle is chosen.
- At least one number is entered.
Worked example
The median of 3, 9, 7, and 1 is 5.
Input definitions
- Numbers
- The list to sort. Commas separate the values.
Limitations
Results are rounded for display. This is a classroom calculation, not a measurement from a lab or a financial filing.
Questions
Why average two numbers?
An even count has no single middle. The page averages the two that sit in the center.
Does the order I type matter?
No. The list is sorted first.