Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 8
Understanding the median
I can understand what the median is measuring, how it is measuring it and find the median from data presented in a list.
- Year 8
Understanding the median
I can understand what the median is measuring, how it is measuring it and find the median from data presented in a list.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The median is a measure of central tendency.
- The median is the middle (or average middle) value in an ordered data set.
- The median can be seen as the halfway point of a set of values.
Keywords
Median - the central (middle) piece of data when the data is in numerical order. A measure of central tendency representing the average of the values
Common misconception
Pupils may confuse the position of the median with the median's actual value.
Choose data where the position number would not be a reasonable median value and ensure pupils sense check their answers every time.
To help you plan your year 8 maths lesson on: Understanding the median, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 maths lesson on: Understanding the median, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 maths lessons from the Numerical summaries of data unit, dive into the full secondary maths curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Work out: $$ 943 - 528 $$ =
Q2.Starting with the highest number, put the numbers in descending order.
Q3. is exactly half way between 64 and 86.
Q4.The mean of 34 and 56 is .
Q5.Starting with the lowest number, put the numbers in ascending order.
Q6.A measure of tendency is a summary measure that attempts to describe a whole set of data with a single value that represents the middle or centre of its distribution.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The median is the piece of data when the data are in numerical order. It is a measure of central tendency representing the average of the values.
Q2.Match the number of data points with the position of the median.
65 values -Â
33rd position
66 values -Â
33.5th position
61 values -Â
31st position
68 values -Â
34.5th position
Q3.The median from this list: 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.8, 2.9 is .
Q4.Which of these data sets can you find the median for?
Q5.Sam wants to calculate the median of this data set. Is Sam's working correct?

Q6.Data is presented in a dot plot. The median value is .
