Which term describes the 50th percentile of a data set?

The 50th percentile of a data set is referred to as the second quartile. This is because quartiles divide a data set into four equal parts, and the second quartile specifically represents the point at which half of the data points fall below and half fall above. In other words, it is the median of the data set.

Understanding percentiles and quartiles is crucial in statistics as they help in summarizing and interpreting the distribution of data. The first quartile marks the 25th percentile, while the third quartile marks the 75th percentile. The mean, which is the average of the data set, does not correspond to a specific percentile and can be greatly influenced by outliers. Thus, identifying the second quartile as the 50th percentile is integral to understanding the central tendency in a given data set.