What is the key feature of the median in a data set?

The median is a measure of central tendency that is defined as the middle point of a dataset when it is arranged in ascending or descending order. The key feature of the median is that it divides the dataset into two equal halves, such that half of the values are below the median and half are above it. This characteristic makes the median particularly useful in scenarios where the data may be skewed or contain outliers, as it is not influenced by extreme values.

In contrast to other measures like the mean, which can be significantly affected by outliers, the median remains a stable indicator of the central position within a dataset. With this understanding, it's clear that the median serves a vital role in summarizing data distributions, especially in situations where it's important to understand the midpoint of a dataset without the distortion caused by extreme values.