Is the median affected by outliers?

The median is the middle value of a data set when it is ordered from least to greatest. It is a measure of central tendency that represents the point at which half of the values are above and half are below. One of the key characteristics of the median is its robustness against outliers. Outliers are extreme values that differ significantly from the rest of the data; they can skew the mean (average) and create a misleading impression of the overall data distribution. However, since the median is determined based solely on the position of values, even if there are extreme outliers, its value remains unchanged unless the outlier affects which value is in the middle position.

This explains why the median is a preferred measure of central tendency in skewed distributions or when outliers are present; it provides a more accurate representation of the data's central location in these situations. Thus, the median is not affected by outliers, making it a valuable statistic in many analytical contexts.