NECO 2002 Economics · Question 43

What is the median term in the distribution below ;14, 13 29 ,15 ,13,17 ,12,

Options

  1. A.12
  2. B.13
  3. C.14
  4. D.15
  5. E.29

Answer: C. 14

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: We need the median of the data set: 14, 13, 29, 15, 13, 17, 12.

Concept: The median is the middle value after arranging the data in order (ascending or descending). For n values:

  • If n is odd, the median is the ((n+1)/2)th value.
  • If n is even, it is the average of the two middle values.

Step 1: Count the values. There are 7 values (14, 13, 29, 15, 13, 17, 12), so n = 7, which is odd.

Step 2: Arrange in ascending order. 12, 13, 13, 14, 15, 17, 29

Step 3: Find the position of the median. Position = (7 + 1)/2 = 4th value

Step 4: Read the 4th value. 1st = 12, 2nd = 13, 3rd = 13, 4th = 14

The median is 14, which is option C.

Tip: Always sort the data before picking the middle. The extreme value (29) does not affect the median, which is why the median is a good measure when outliers exist. Also remember to keep repeated values (like the two 13s) when sorting, since leaving one out gives a wrong middle position.

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