The arithmetic mean, commonly known as the average, is calculated by summing all the numbers in a dataset and then dividing by the count of those numbers.
Example of Calculating the Arithmetic Mean
According to BYJU'S, an example is as follows:
If we have the numbers 5, 7, and 9, we can calculate the arithmetic mean using these steps:
- Sum the Numbers: Add all the numbers together: 5 + 7 + 9 = 21
- Count the Numbers: Determine how many numbers there are in the set. In this case, there are 3 numbers.
- Divide the Sum by the Count: Divide the sum (21) by the number of items (3): 21 / 3 = 7
Therefore, the arithmetic mean of the numbers 5, 7, and 9 is 7.
| Numbers | Sum | Count | Arithmetic Mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5, 7, 9 | 21 | 3 | 7 |
Understanding Arithmetic Mean
The arithmetic mean is a basic but fundamental concept in statistics. Here are a few key points about the arithmetic mean:
- It is a measure of central tendency: This means it provides a typical value for a dataset.
- Sensitive to outliers: Extreme values can significantly affect the mean.
- Widely applicable: It is used in numerous fields including finance, science, and social sciences.
