To determine the median price, we first need to arrange the items per ascending or descending order of their price. We chose to do it in ascending order. Thus, we have the following table:





Since the total number of cell phones sold is 450, the median value

=Price of the \((\frac{450+1}{2})\) cell phone

=Price of the(225.5)/cell phone
=Average of the price of the225thitem and the price of the226thitem
We see that the 225th item lies in 225th cumulative number of units' column in the table, thus, its price would be the price of the brand that lies in the same row of the 225th cumulative item. We find that it is $250.

Similarly, we see that the 226th item lies in 300th cumulative number of units' column in the table, thus, its price would be the price of the brand that lies in the same row of the 300th cumulative item. We find that it is $350.

Thus, the median price per cell phone =$\(\frac{250+350}{2}\)=$300.

Note that the median price per phone (= $250) would not be the price of the middle-most brand if the prices are arranged in ascending order: 150, 200, 250, 350, and 400. This is because the logic is flawed. In this case the number of units per brand of cell phone sold is ignored.

Could someone please tell me why is arranging the 5 prices alone in ascending order of price ( S P T Q R) and seeing the middle value (T) to be the median wrong. and in which case ( how would the question be worded) would this be the required method of solving.