How do you calculate the median of the set: 12, 3, 5, 10?

To find the median of a data set, you first need to arrange the numbers in ascending order. In this case, the numbers 12, 3, 5, and 10 will be ordered as 3, 5, 10, and 12.

Once the numbers are in order, the median can be determined based on whether the number of data points is odd or even. In this scenario, there are four data points, which is an even number. When you have an even number of values, the median is calculated by taking the average of the two middle numbers in the sorted list.

In the ordered set of numbers 3, 5, 10, and 12, the two middle numbers are 5 and 10. To find the median, you add these two middle values together and then divide by 2:

[

\text{Median} = \frac{5 + 10}{2} = \frac{15}{2} = 7.5

]

Thus, the median of the set 12, 3, 5, 10 is 7.5, which corresponds to the correct answer. This process is crucial for understanding how to find the median when