- Definition
The median is the middle number in a list of numbers that has been put in order from smallest to largest. If there are two middle numbers, you find the median by adding them together and dividing by two.
For the list of numbers 5, 2, 8, you first order them as 2, 5, 8, so the median is 5.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: The median is like lining up your friends by height and finding the person standing exactly in the middle.
Ask your child: If we lined up our family's ages from youngest to oldest, whose age would be in the middle?
Common mix-up: Kids often forget they must put the numbers in order first. The median is the middle value of the ordered list, not just any list.
Examples
- In the list of ages 7, 9, 12, the median age is 9.
- Given the game scores 80, 100, 70, you order them as 70, 80, 100 to find the median is 80.
median is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
