What does the term "median" refer to in a data set?

The term "median" refers specifically to the middle value of a data set when the values are arranged in ascending or descending order. This means that to find the median, you must first sort the data from least to greatest (or greatest to least) and then identify the central number. If the data set has an odd number of values, the median is the single middle number. However, if the data set contains an even number of values, the median is calculated by taking the average of the two middle numbers. This characteristic makes the median a useful measure of central tendency, especially in a data set that may have extreme values (outliers) that could skew the average.

This clarity in the definition highlights why the median represents an essential concept in understanding data distribution.