What is the first step in finding the median of a data set?

Finding the median of a data set begins with organizing the numbers in order. The median is defined as the middle value in a list of numbers when they are arranged from least to greatest (or greatest to least). Without organizing the numbers, it is impossible to accurately identify which value is in the middle, especially if the data set contains an even number of values. Once the numbers are sorted, finding the median becomes straightforward: if there is an odd number of values, the median is the value directly in the middle; if there is an even number of values, the median is the average of the two middle numbers.

The other steps, such as finding the average, identifying the range, or counting the number of values, do not directly lead to finding the median and are not necessary prerequisites for determining it. Thus, the correct initial action is to sort the numbers.