What is the median of the following 9 numbers?
61, 14, 72, 25, 36, 48, 57, 17, 81

Options

A. 14
B. 81
C. 48
D. 5

Answer

To find the median of the given numbers, we will follow these steps:

### Step 1: List the numbers
The numbers given are:
61, 14, 72, 25, 36, 48, 57, 17, 81

### Step 2: Arrange the numbers in ascending order
We need to sort the numbers from the smallest to the largest:
14, 17, 25, 36, 48, 57, 61, 72, 81

### Step 3: Determine the total number of values
Count the total number of values in the list. In this case, there are 9 numbers.

### Step 4: Identify if the total number of values is odd or even
Since 9 is an odd number, we will use the formula for finding the median in a set of odd numbers.

### Step 5: Use the median formula for odd numbers
The formula for finding the median when the number of observations (n) is odd is:
\[ \text{Median} = \frac{n + 1}{2} \]
Here, \( n = 9 \):
\[ \text{Median} = \frac{9 + 1}{2} = \frac{10}{2} = 5 \]

### Step 6: Find the 5th term in the ordered list
Now, we will find the 5th term in our sorted list:
1. 14
2. 17
3. 25
4. 36
5. 48

Thus, the 5th term is **48**.

### Conclusion
The median of the given numbers is **48**.

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