How do you find the mean of data

1 answer

To find the mean (average) of a set of data, follow these steps:

  1. Sum all the data points: Add together all the values in your dataset.

    \[ \text{Sum} = x_1 + x_2 + x_3 + \ldots + x_n \]

  2. Count the number of data points: Determine how many values (n) are in your dataset.

  3. Divide the sum by the number of data points: Use the formula for the mean, which is:

    \[ \text{Mean} = \frac{\text{Sum of all data points}}{\text{Number of data points}} = \frac{S}{n} \]

Example:

Suppose you have the following data points: 3, 5, 7, 9.

  1. Sum: \( 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 = 24 \)
  2. Count: There are 4 data points (3, 5, 7, 9).
  3. Mean: \( \text{Mean} = \frac{24}{4} = 6 \)

So, the mean of the dataset is 6.