Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 1: Calculate the average
• Tips

In mathematics, the "mean" is a type of center measure found by dividing the sum of a series of numbers by the number of numbers in that series. While not the only center size, the average is the one most people think of when talking about a center size. You can use the average for all kinds of useful purposes in everyday life, from calculating the travel time from home to work to calculating the budget you can spend per week.

To step

Method 1 of 1: Calculate the average

1. Determine the range of values ​​for which you want to know the mean. These numbers can be large or small, and it can be as many as you want. Just make sure to use real numbers and not variables.
   • Example: 2,3,4,5,6.
2. Add your values ​​to get the sum. You can use a calculator or spreadsheet, or do it by heart if it's easy.
   • Example: 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 = 20.
3. Count the amount of values ​​in your sequence. If there are values ​​that occur multiple times, you still have to count them all separately.
   • Example: 2,3,4,5, and 6 are a total of five values.
4. Divide the sum of the series by the number of values. The result is the mean of the series. That means if every number in the series were the mean, they would add up to the same total.
   • Example: 20 ÷ 5 = 4
     Therefore, 4 is the mean of this set of numbers.

Tips

• A center measure gives an impression of the center of a quantity of data or a distribution. Other center measures are the "mode" and the "median". The mode is the value that occurs most often in a series. The median center of a distribution or data set. There are then the same number of values ​​in the series that are greater and less than this number. These center measures often give a different result than the mean of a series of numbers.