Step by step
The question
Question: find the median of 6, 1, 9 and 4.
Median of 6, 1, 9, 4
The median is the middle number, once the numbers are in order.
median: the middle one, in order
1 Put them in order
First we put them in order, smallest first: 1, 4, 6 and 9.
= 1, 4, 6, 9
We still have 4 numbers.
None is lost.
4 numbers ✓
2 Find the middle
We cross out the smallest and the biggest, one pair at a time.
Two numbers are left in the middle: 4 and 6.
The median is halfway between them.
Halfway: we add them and divide by 2.
= median = 4 + 62
4 plus 6 is 10.
= median = 102
10 divided by 2 is 5.
So the median is 5.
= median = 5
Let's look back.
First: put them in order.
Last: find the middle.
Answer
= median = 5