Midpoint

Definition

The midpoint is the value that lies exactly in the middle of a data set when it is ordered from smallest to largest. It is also known as the median in statistical terms.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The midpoint divides a data set into two equal halves, with 50% of the values below it and 50% above.
2. For an odd number of observations, the midpoint is the middle value.
3. For an even number of observations, the midpoint is calculated as the average of the two middle values.
4. The midpoint is a measure of central tendency that is not affected by extreme values or outliers.
5. In descriptive statistics, the midpoint can be used to understand the center of continuous or ordinal data.

Review Questions

• How do you calculate the midpoint for an even number of observations in a data set?
• Why might you use the midpoint instead of the mean when analyzing a skewed distribution?
• What does it mean if your data set's midpoint is significantly different from its mean?

Related terms

Mean:

The arithmetic average of a set of numbers, calculated by summing all values and dividing by their count.

Mode:

The value that appears most frequently in a data set.

Range:

The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.