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SAT Math skill page

SAT Mean and Median Practice

Know when the SAT wants the arithmetic average and when it wants the middle value.

Practice mean and median in Dolphin SATPractice questions
10-16 min practice time3 questions on pageProblem Solving and Data Analysis
Practice time10-16 min
Question bank3 questions
Best forProblem Solving and Data Analysis

What this tests

What to know for this SAT skill

Dolphin question bank

Practice your skill

Question 1 of 3Easy
What is the mean of 4, 6, 8, and 10?
  1. 6
  2. 7
  3. 8
  4. 28
Show answer and solution
Correct answerB. 7

Solution walkthrough

  1. The sum is 28.
  2. Divide by 4 values to get a mean of 7.
Question 2 of 3Medium
What is the median of 12, 3, 7, 9, and 4?
  1. 4
  2. 7
  3. 9
  4. 12
Show answer and solution
Correct answerB. 7

Solution walkthrough

  1. Order the values: 3, 4, 7, 9, 12.
  2. The middle value is 7.
Question 3 of 3Hard
Four numbers have a mean of 15. If three of the numbers are 10, 14, and 18, what is the fourth number?
  1. 12
  2. 15
  3. 18
  4. 20
Show answer and solution
Correct answerC. 18

Solution walkthrough

  1. A mean of 15 for four numbers means the total is 60.
  2. The known values sum to 42, so the fourth number is 18.

Avoid these traps

Common mistakes on this skill

Finding the median before sorting

The values must be ordered before selecting the middle value or averaging the two middle values.

Treating mean and median as equally sensitive to outliers

Extreme values directly affect the mean but usually have less effect on the median.

Study plan

How to practice this skill in Dolphin

  1. Order the data and count the number of observations.
  2. Use the correct definition for mean or median and keep track of any missing value.
  3. Predict how a changed or added value should move the statistic before finalizing the calculation.
Practice mean and median in Dolphin SAT

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FAQ

Questions about SAT Mean and Median Practice

When is the median more useful than the mean?

The median is often more representative when a distribution is skewed or contains extreme outliers.

How do I find the median with an even number of values?

After sorting, average the two middle values.