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MEDIAN

The MEDIAN function returns the median (middle) value of a set of numbers. It is commonly used to find the middle value in a range of data points. If the number of data points is even, it returns the average of the two middle values. This function can be useful in statistical analysis and data visualization.

Usage

Use the MEDIAN formula with the syntax shown below, it has 1 required parameter and 1 optional parameter:

=MEDIAN(value1, [value2, ...])
Parameters:
  1. value1 (required):
    The first value or range of values to calculate the median of.
  2. value2, ... (optional):
    Additional values or ranges of values to calculate the median of.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the MEDIAN formula in Google Sheets.

Finding the median sales value

Suppose you have a list of sales values for a product and you want to find the median sales value. You can use the MEDIAN function to easily calculate this value.

Calculating the median age

If you have a list of ages and you want to find the median age, you can use the MEDIAN function to quickly calculate this value.

Determining the middle value in a range

The MEDIAN function can be used to find the middle value in a range of data points, which can be useful in data analysis and visualization.

Common Mistakes

MEDIAN not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the MEDIAN Google Sheets Formula:

Incorrect range of cells selected

One common mistake when using the MEDIAN formula is selecting the wrong range of cells. Make sure to select only the cells containing the values you want to find the median of.

Using non-numeric values

The MEDIAN formula only works with numeric values. If you include non-numeric values in the range, the formula will return an error. Check that all values in the selected range are numeric.

Forgetting to include all values

When using the MEDIAN formula, it's important to include all values you want to find the median of. Forgetting to include a value can result in an incorrect answer.

Using too many arguments

The MEDIAN formula takes up to 30 arguments. Using more than 30 arguments will result in an error. Make sure you're not exceeding the limit.

Incorrectly typing the formula

Another common mistake is typos or misspellings in the MEDIAN formula. Make sure you're typing the formula correctly to avoid errors.

Related Formulas

The following functions are similar to MEDIAN or are often used with it in a formula:

  • AVERAGE

    The AVERAGE function calculates the average (arithmetic mean) of the values passed to it. It is commonly used to find the average of a range of cells containing numerical data.

  • MODE

    The MODE formula in Google Sheets returns the most frequently occurring value in a dataset. It is commonly used in statistical analysis to identify the value that occurs most frequently in a set of data. The formula requires at least one input value, but can accept multiple values to include in the analysis.

  • STDEV

    The STDEV function calculates the standard deviation of a set of numbers. It measures the amount of variation or dispersion of a set of values from the average (mean) value. It is commonly used in statistics to determine the spread of a data set. The values can be supplied as individual cells, ranges, or constants.

  • QUARTILE

    The QUARTILE function in Google Sheets is used to calculate quartiles from a given data set. Quartiles divide a dataset into four equal parts. This function can be used to find the value at a given quartile rank or to calculate quartile ranges.

Learn More

You can learn more about the MEDIAN Google Sheets function on Google Support.