A median is the middle value once the data are in order. When a question compares two medians and gives you one of them, put the remaining values in a Desmos list, find their median, and subtract. Find the listed group's middle value, not its mean or the middle row of the table.
Hints
- Hint 1
The median of seven values is the fourth value after sorting, with three values below it and three above it. Does the fourth row of the table necessarily hold that value?
- Hint 2
A Desmos list lets you find the seven-state median without sorting by hand. The question already gives the median for all 50 states, so what subtraction gives the difference between the two?
Step-by-step
Find the median with a Desmos list
Step 1Find the middle of the seven percentages
Enter the seven table percentages as , then type . Desmos shows . A median is the middle value after sorting: , , and are below , while , , and are above it. So is the seven-state median. Don't pick the fourth table row; the rows aren't sorted by percentage.
- Step 2
Subtract the two medians
The question asks for the difference from the given all-state median of . Keep the earlier lines and type . Desmos shows , so the medians differ by percentage points, listed as . Choice B.