The median is the middle of a set of values after you put them in order. For an even number of values, find the two middle positions and average the values there. A Desmos list can find the median without sorting by hand, but checking the middle positions helps you avoid picking the middle rows of the original table.
Hints
- Hint 1
The median depends on position after sorting, not on the order of the employee rows. Put the hours from least to greatest, keeping repeated values because each belongs to a different employee.
- Hint 2
An even number of values has two middle positions. With eight employees, which hours are in the fourth and fifth positions of your ordered list?
Step-by-step
Check the middle positions with a Desmos list
Step 1Enter every employee's hours
Read down the Hours worked column and type in Desmos. The letter names this list. Desmos shows all eight entries; keep both s and both s because they represent different employees.
- Step 2
Put the hours in order
A median uses the middle of the ordered values, not the middle rows of the table. Sort the hours from least to greatest: .
- Step 3
Find the two middle positions
There are 8 employees, so the middle falls between positions and . With an even number of values, average the two middle values.
- Step 4
Read the median
Type . Desmos prints ; averaging the two middle values, and , gives the same result. The median number of hours worked is hours. Choice B.