How is the median defined in a data set?

The median is defined as the middle data point in a data set when the values are arranged in order from least to greatest. To find the median, the data set must first be sorted. If there is an odd number of data points, the median is the single middle number. If there is an even number of data points, the median is calculated by taking the average of the two middle numbers.

This definition highlights the median's role in measuring central tendency by identifying the point at which half of the data points fall below and half fall above, making it a valuable statistic for understanding the distribution of values within the data set.