Average Calculator
Calculate the mean, median, and mode of a set of numbers with our free online average calculator. Understand different types of averages and their applications.
Category: Calculator
Example: 5, 7, 12.5, 3.14, 8, 10
About Averages
Mean: The arithmetic average, calculated by adding all values and dividing by the count. It's sensitive to outliers.
Median: The middle value when data is sorted. It's resistant to outliers and better represents the typical value for skewed distributions.
Mode: The value(s) that appear most frequently. A data set can have no mode, one mode, or multiple modes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between mean, median, and mode?
The mean (arithmetic average) is calculated by adding all values and dividing by the count of values. The median is the middle value when data is arranged in order. The mode is the most frequently occurring value in the dataset. Each measure has different uses depending on the data distribution.
When should I use mean vs. median vs. mode?
Use the mean when data is relatively symmetric without extreme outliers. The median is better for skewed data or when there are outliers, as it's less affected by extreme values. The mode is useful for categorical data or when you want to know the most common value, especially in multimodal distributions.
How do I calculate a weighted average?
To calculate a weighted average, multiply each value by its weight (importance), add these products together, and then divide by the sum of all weights. This is commonly used for grades (where assignments have different weights), investment returns, or any scenario where some values should contribute more to the final average.