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MEDIAN

The MEDIAN function in Google Sheets is a statistical tool used to find the middle value in a set of numbers. It is particularly useful when dealing with large datasets or when looking for the central tendency of a distribution. Learn how to use the MEDIAN function effectively with our comprehensive guide.

Function Syntax and Parameters

Syntax: MEDIAN(value1, [value2, ...])

Parameters:

  • value1: The first value or range to consider for finding the median.
  • value2, ...: [Optional] Additional numbers or ranges to consider.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

  1. Using MEDIAN with individual numbers:

    • Example: =MEDIAN(3, 10, 5)
    • Result: 5
  2. Using MEDIAN with a range of cells:

    • Example: If A1:A5 has the values 5, 10, 3, 8, 7, then =MEDIAN(A1:A5) will return 7.

Use Cases and Scenarios

  1. Data Analysis: Find the representative value in a dataset without being affected by outliers.
  2. Quality Control: Determine the median value of a set to assess the performance of a manufacturing process.
  3. Survey Analysis: Calculate the middle value of a set of responses to understand the central tendency of opinions.

Related Functions

  • AVERAGE: Compute the arithmetic mean of a set of numbers.
  • MODE: Identify the most frequently occurring value in a dataset.

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