The median is the number that falls in the middle position once the data has been organized.

Organized data means the numbers are arranged from smallest to largest or from largest to
smallest. The median for an odd number of data values is the value that divides the data into
two halves. If n represents the number of data values and n is an odd number, then the median

will be found in the position.

The MEDIAN , denoted Md, is the middle value of the sample when the ranked data are ranked
in order to size.

This measure of central tendency is typically used when the mean value is affected by an
unusually low number or an unusually high number in the data set (outliers). Outliers distort
the mean value to the extent that the mean value no longer accurately depicts the set of data.

For example: If one of the houses in your neighborhood was broken down and maintained a low
property value, then you would not want to include this property when determining the value of
your own home. However, if you are purchasing a home in that neighborhood, you may want to
include the outlier since it would drive down the price you would have to pay.

Try a few examples to follow the steps needed to calculate the median.

The mode of a set of data is simply the value that appears most frequently in the set.

f two or more values appear with the same frequency, each is a mode. The downside to using
the mode as a measure of central tendency is that a set of data may have no mode, or it may
have more than one mode. However, the same set of data will have only one mean and only one
median.

 The word modal is often used when referring to the mode of a data set.

 If a data set has only one value that occurs most often, the set is called unimodal.

 A data set that has two values that occur with the same greatest frequency is referred to
as bimodal.

 When a set of data has more than two values that occur with the same greatest
frequency, the set is called multimodal.

When determining the mode of a data set, calculations are not required, but keen observation is
a must. The mode is a measure of central tendency that is simple to locate, but it is not used
much in practical applications.