Work out the median.

Step by step

The question

Question: find the median of 2, 0, 3, 1, 4, 2, 2 and 6.

The median is the middle number, once the numbers are in order.

1 Put them in order

First we put them in order, smallest first: 0, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4 and 6.

We still have 8 numbers.

None is lost.

2 Find the middle

We cross out the smallest and the biggest, one pair at a time.

And the next pair.

And the next pair.

Two numbers are left in the middle: 2 and 2.

The median is halfway between them.

Halfway: we add them and divide by 2.

2 plus 2 is 4.

4 divided by 2 is 2.

So the median is 2.

Let's look back.

First: put them in order.

Last: find the middle.