The mean is the average of a set of numbers. It is found by adding all the numbers together and then dividing by how many numbers there are in the set.
The mean gives us a single number that represents the "center" of a data set. It helps us understand what a typical value might be.
To find the mean, follow these steps: add all the numbers in the data set, then divide by how many numbers are in the set.
Remember to add all values first, then divide. The order of operations is important!
The mean helps us understand data in everyday situations, like finding average test scores, temperatures, or amounts.
The mean doesn't have to be one of the numbers in your original data set. It can be a decimal, even if all your original numbers are whole numbers.
Sometimes the mean doesn't give the best picture of a data set, especially when there are very high or very low values.
When there are extreme values (very high or very low numbers), the mean might not represent the data well. In these cases, the median might be more helpful.