What is the median in a collection of ordered data?

The median is defined as the middle value of a collection of ordered data. To determine the median, you first arrange the data set in ascending order. If the number of observations is odd, the median is the value located precisely in the center of the ordered list. If the number of observations is even, the median is calculated by taking the average of the two middle values.

This concept is particularly useful because the median provides a measure of central tendency that is less affected by extreme values or outliers compared to the mean, making it a robust indicator of the data's central position. Understanding the median is essential in fields such as statistics, social sciences, and healthcare, where data interpretation plays a crucial role in decision-making.

In contrast, the other options refer to different statistical measures: the lowest value pertains to the minimum of the data set, the average refers to the mean, which is the sum of all values divided by the count, and the most frequent value describes the mode. Each of these concepts serves a unique function within data analysis but does not define the median.