1. What is the Median?

The median is the middle value in a sorted list of numbers. It's a measure of central tendency that divides the dataset into two equal halves. Unlike the mean, the median isn't affected by extremely large or small values, making it useful for skewed distributions.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the following process:

Steps:

1. Parse and clean the input data
2. Convert all values to numbers
3. Sort the numbers in ascending order
4. Find the middle value(s)
5. Calculate the median based on count

3. Importance of Median Calculation

Details: The median provides a better measure of central tendency than the mean for skewed distributions or when outliers are present. It's widely used in statistics, economics, and social sciences.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter numbers separated by commas, spaces, or new lines. The calculator will automatically clean the input, sort the numbers, and calculate the median. You can paste data from spreadsheets or other sources.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: When should I use median instead of mean?
A: Use median when your data is skewed or has outliers that would disproportionately affect the mean.

Q2: What's the difference between median and average?
A: "Average" typically refers to the mean (sum divided by count), while median is the middle value. They can differ significantly in skewed distributions.

Q3: How does the median handle even vs odd counts?
A: For odd counts, it's the exact middle value. For even counts, it's the average of the two middle values.

Q4: Can I calculate median for categorical data?
A: No, median requires ordinal or numerical data that can be meaningfully ordered.

Q5: Is median affected by extreme values?
A: No, that's one of its main advantages over the mean. Only the middle values matter.