Step by step
The question
Question: find the median of 4, −2, 7, −5 and 0.
Median of 4, −2, 7, −5, 0
The median is the middle number, once the numbers are in order.
median: the middle one, in order
1 Put them in order
Numbers below 0 are smaller than 0.
The further below 0, the smaller they are.
below 0 = smaller: −5 < −2 < 0
First we put them in order, smallest first: −5, −2, 0, 4 and 7.
= −5, −2, 0, 4, 7
We still have 5 numbers.
None is lost.
5 numbers ✓
2 Find the middle
We cross out the smallest and the biggest, one pair at a time.
And the next pair.
0 is left in the middle.
So the median is 0.
= median = 0
Let's look back.
First: put them in order.
Last: find the middle.
Answer
= median = 0