What is the median in math?
In this helpful guide, we’ll explore how the median helps us find a “typical” value within a set of data.
Author
Katie Wickliff
Published:
Nov 2025
Key takeaways
- • Finding measures of center can connect abstract numbers to the real world
- • Calculating the median means finding the middle number in a group of data
- • The median is often more descriptive of the data set than the mean
Around 3rd or 4th grade, students begin to understand that math can help explain the world around them and that numbers aren’t just something they find in a classroom. By conducting classroom surveys on fun topics like favorite colors, animals, and desserts, students learn to collect, record, and analyze information.
These early lessons prepare students for the next step: describing data mathematically with mean, median, and mode. These are all measures of center in a set of numerical data. In other words, each one describes what a “typical” or “middle” value looks like in a dataset.
In this article, we’ll discuss the definition of median in math and learn how to find it in a set of data. We’ll walk through several examples of median problems your student might see in a 6th grade classroom, and provide practice problems so your student feels confident tackling this concept.
What is the Median?
The median is the value appearing in the middle of a list of numbers organized from smallest to largest. Many people confuse the median with the mean, or average, but they are different. Actually, the median can be more descriptive of the dataset than the mean. Here’s an example: a math teacher may look at the median score on a quiz, especially if a few students scored unusually high or low, because these outliers could skew the data. Looking at a test score of the median student gives the teacher a better picture of the typical student’s performance.
Table of contents
How to Find the Median
To find the median in a set of data, order the data from least to greatest. So if a group of numbers looks like this:
11, 3, 27, 22, 19,14, 24
Students should rewrite them to look like this:
3, 11, 14, 19, 22, 24, 27
Then, count how many numbers are in the set. If there is an odd number of values, the median is the very middle number on the list. You can determine the median by crossing off one number on each side until you reach the middle, like this:
3, 11, 14, 19, 22, 24, 27
We can now see that the median in this data set is 19.
If your list has an even number of values, finding the median takes an extra step. First, make sure to order your data from least to greatest. Then, count off on either side until you reach the two numbers in the middle. The median will be right in the middle of those numbers, so students will need to calculate the mean (average) of those two numbers to find the median. So, if a group of numbers looks like this:
1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 6, 8, 8, 9, 10, 10, 12
6 and 8 are the middle values. Students would calculate the mean of these two numbers (check out our article on mean here) which is 7. Now we know that 7 is the median of this data set.
Median Math Examples
Let’s explore a few examples similar to those your students might come across in class. These examples have a mix of odd and even numbers in the data set. If your student needs help calculating the mean for the even numbered data set, check out our guide here.
Example 1: Coach Tim wants to see the typical number of goals his soccer players score individually in one season.
Find the median of the data:
2, 1, 1, 7, 4, 0, 0, 6, 2, 3, 0
First, put the data in order from least to greatest number of goals:
0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
Since the list has an odd number of values, cross out the numbers on each side until you reach the middle:
0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
The median is: 2 goals
Example 2: The librarian wants to see the typical number of books read for the summer reading program.
Find the median:
0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 7, 10
Since this data is already in order, count of the numbers on each side until you reach the two in the middle:
0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 7, 10
The middle numbers are 3 and 4. To determine the median of this data set, first find the mean:
First, multiply the middle numbers together:
3 x 4 = 12
Then, divide the answer by two (since there are two middle numbers)
12 ÷ 2= 6
The median is: 2 books
Median Practice Problems
Your student can use the problems below to practice calculating the median of a set of numbers. For even more practice, head over to Dreambox Math, an online program that helps reinforce skills and concepts learned in the classroom or homeschool.
80, 81, 81, 83, 85, 85, 87
Find the median:
9, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 8
Find the median:
22, 14, 10, 17, 12, 8, 13, 9, 11
About the Author
Katie Wickliff
Katie holds a master’s degree in Education, has over 15 years of education experience as a primary classroom teacher, and is Orton-Gillingham certified tutor. Most importantly, Katie is the mother of two primary school students, ages 8 and 11. She is passionate about maths education and firmly believes that the right tools and support will help every student reach their full potential.