1. What is the SQL Median Function?

The SQL MEDIAN function calculates the middle value in a set of numbers. In SQL, this is typically implemented using PERCENTILE_CONT(0.5) which finds the value at the 50th percentile of an ordered data set.

2. How Does the Median Calculation Work?

The calculator uses the following approach:

Steps:

1. Sort all values in ascending order
2. Count the number of values (n)
3. If n is odd, the median is the value at position (n+1)/2
4. If n is even, the median is the average of values at positions n/2 and (n/2)+1

3. Importance of Median Calculation

Details: The median is a robust measure of central tendency that is less affected by outliers than the mean. It's particularly useful for skewed distributions and is widely used in statistical analysis and reporting.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter numeric values separated by commas. The calculator will ignore any non-numeric values. Example: "5, 3, 8, 1, 2" or "10.5, 12.3, 11.7".

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between median and average?
A: The median is the middle value, while the average (mean) is the sum divided by count. Median is less affected by extreme values.

Q2: How is median calculated in SQL?
A: In most SQL dialects, you use PERCENTILE_CONT(0.5) WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY column).

Q3: When should I use median instead of average?
A: Use median when your data has outliers or is skewed, as it better represents the "typical" value in such cases.

Q4: What if I have an even number of values?
A: The median is calculated as the average of the two middle values in the sorted list.

Q5: Can I calculate median for non-numeric data?
A: No, median calculation requires numeric data that can be ordered and averaged.