Math
Finding the middle of a list
Definition
Finding the middle value of a list means giving MEDIAN the numbers.
Syntax
=MEDIAN(number1)
Arguments
| Argument | Meaning |
|---|---|
number1 |
The range of numbers, such as B2:B4. |
Worked example
A mill logs batch times in B2:B4.
| A: Batch | B: Minutes |
|---|---|
| 1 | 9 |
| 2 | 2 |
| 3 | 5 |
Formula: =MEDIAN(B2:B4)
Result: 5. Sorted, the times are 2, 5, and 9, so the middle value is 5.
Practice
Cells C2:C4 hold 20, 4, and 12. In D2, write a formula that returns the median of those numbers.
- In D2, write a MEDIAN formula for C2:C4.
- D2 should show the median of C2:C4.
Step 1 of 2
Enter =MEDIAN(C2:C4) in D2.
Sorted, the values are 4, 12, and 20, so the median is 12.
Formulas here use English function names, such as SUM, and a period as the decimal separator, in every language.
Loading the sheet…
D2 uses MEDIAN.
D2 now shows 12.
The next lesson is Ranking a score in a list.
Related functions
MEDIAN is the function that returns the middle value of that list.
Common mistake
Using AVERAGE, as in =AVERAGE(B2:B4): (9 + 2 + 5) / 3 is 5.333, not the middle value 5.