For the data 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 61 find the difference between the mean and the median.

Sum = 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 61 = 96, so the mean is 96 ÷ 6 = 16. With 6 ordered values the median is the average of the 3rd and 4th: (7 + 9)/2 = 8. The difference is 16 − 8 = 8. The single extreme value 61 drags the mean far above the median but leaves the median untouched; taking the 3rd value alone as the median would wrongly give 9.