Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

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What is the definition of the median in a set of numbers?

It is the number that occurs the most frequently
It is the middle number in a group of numbers
It is the average number in a group of numbers
It is a measure of central tendency

The correct answer is: It is the middle number in a group of numbers

The median is defined as the middle number in a set of ordered numbers. To find the median, you first arrange the numbers in ascending order. If there is an odd number of values, the median is the number that is exactly in the middle. If there is an even number of values, the median is calculated as the average of the two middle numbers. This definition highlights the importance of the median as a measure of central tendency that provides a representative value for a given data set, especially in skewed distributions where it offers a better measure than the average. While the term "measure of central tendency" encompasses the median, mean, and mode, the median specifically refers to the middle value, making it distinct from the other measures. Therefore, the definition aligns precisely with the concept of being the middle number in a group.