Which statistic represents the middle score in a distribution?

• A. Mean
• B. Median
• C. Mode
• D. Range

Answer: (B)

The middle score in a distribution is represented by the median. If you line up all the scores from smallest to largest, the median is the value that splits the data into two equal halves. With an odd number of scores, it’s the exact middle one. With an even number, it’s the average of the two central scores. This makes the median a robust measure of central tendency that isn’t as affected by extreme values as the mean.

For example, in the set 1, 2, 3, 4, 100, the two central numbers are 2 and 3, so the median is 2.5. The mean would be pulled up by the 100, giving a different impression of the “middle.” The mode is the most frequent value, and the range is simply the difference between the largest and smallest values—not measures of central tendency.