31, 38, 35, 36, 3
Check the final answer first, then review the worked steps.
Problem
31, 38, 35, 36, 3
Answer
\(Median = 35, Mean = 28.6\)
Step-by-step solution
- Order the data set: To find the median, first arrange the numbers in ascending order: $3, 31, 35, 36, 38$.
- Find the median: The median is the middle value of an ordered data set. Since there are $5$ numbers (an odd count), the median is the value at the exact center position. In the ordered set $3, 31, 35, 36, 38$, the middle value is $35$.
- Calculate the mean: The mean is the sum of all values divided by the number of values in the set. First, find the sum: $3 + 31 + 35 + 36 + 38 = 143$. Next, divide the sum by the total count of numbers, which is $5$: $$\text{Mean} = \frac{143}{5} = 28.6$$