A median is a statistical measure that represents the middle value in a set of numbers when they are arranged in order. If there is an odd number of values, the median is the middle one. If there is an even number of values, the median is the average of the two middle numbers. This makes the median a useful measure of central tendency, especially when dealing with skewed data. Medians are often used in various fields, including economics, psychology, and education, to summarize data sets. Unlike the mean, the median is less affected by extreme values or outliers, providing a more accurate reflection of the typical value in a data set.