For the set of data shown: 5, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, what is the MEDIAN?

To determine the median of a set of data, it is necessary to first arrange the numbers in ascending order, which in this case has already been done: 5, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12. The median is defined as the middle value of a data set.

Since there are seven numbers in this set, which is an odd number, the median will be the value that is positioned right in the middle. To find this, it is helpful to note that the median is located at the position calculated by (n + 1) / 2, where n is the number of values in the set. In this case, (7 + 1) / 2 = 4, which means the median is the 4th number in the ordered list.

Looking at the set, the 4th number is 8. Therefore, the median for this set of data is indeed 8, making it the correct answer. This value represents the central tendency of the data set, effectively dividing the set into two equal halves, with three values below and three values above it.