Math Example--Measures of Central Tendency--Median: Example 26

Topic

Measures of Central Tendency

Description

This example demonstrates finding the median of the following set of numbers: 2, 49, 41, 30, 49, 35, 3, 35, 22, 41, 14, 37, 26, 21, 4, 47. The solution involves arranging the numbers from least to greatest and then identifying the middle value. With an even number of terms, the median is calculated as the average of the two middle terms, resulting in a median of 32.5.

The concept of median is a fundamental measure of central tendency in statistics. It represents the middle value in a sorted dataset, providing a robust measure that is less affected by extreme values compared to the mean. This collection of examples helps teach the topic by illustrating the step-by-step process of finding the median for various datasets, including those with even numbers of values and repeated numbers.

Presenting multiple worked-out examples is crucial for students to fully grasp the concept of median. By encountering different scenarios, such as datasets with even or odd numbers of values, repeated values, or widely spread numbers, students can develop a comprehensive understanding of how to calculate the median in various situations. This approach reinforces the procedure and helps students recognize patterns and nuances in median calculation.

Teacher Script: "Let's look at this set of numbers. Notice that we have an even number of values, and some numbers are repeated. Remember, our first step is always to arrange the numbers from least to greatest. Once we've done that, we need to find the two middle numbers since we have an even number of terms. The median will be the average of these two middle numbers. This example shows how we handle finding the median when we have an even number of values, and it demonstrates that repeated values don't change our process - we still treat each number as a separate value when ordering our list."

For a complete collection of math examples related to Measures of Central Tendency click on this link: Math Examples: Measures of Central Tendency: Median Collection.