California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Math Practice Exam

What is the median of the following numbers: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11?

1. 5

2. 7

3. 8

4. 9

The correct answer is: 7

To find the median of a set of numbers, you first need to arrange the numbers in increasing order, if they aren't already, and then locate the middle number. In this case, the numbers provided are already arranged in increasing order: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. Since there is an odd number of values (five numbers), the median is simply the middle number. Count the positions: the first number is 3, the second is 5, the third is 7, the fourth is 9, and the fifth is 11. The middle number, or the third number, is 7. Therefore, the median of this set is 7. This method works effectively for finding the median with both odd and even sets of numbers, with the understanding that for an even count of numbers, the median would be the average of the two middle numbers. Since we have an odd number in this case, identifying the middle directly leads us to the correct answer.