Question

When finding the median, do we have to put the numbers in order from least to greatest

Answer 1

Yes you do. Place all of the numbers, even repeating ones, in order from slammers to largest and then start crossing out from both sides until you get the middle. For example, in the problem below the median would be 4 bc it’s in the middle

1,2,2,3,4,6,6,7,8

Answer 2

There are usually multiple ways to solve any math problem.

You don't have to put the numbers in order if there's another way to find a value such that the number of numbers greater than that value is equal to the number of numbers less than that value.*

It is usually easiest to put the numbers in order, but it is not absolutely necessary.

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* If the size of the set is odd, then the value found must be in the set. If the size of the set is even, the value found must be the average of the two numbers in the set that are nearest and either side of that value.