One of the most widely used statistics is the arithmetic mean. The mean, often known as “average” or “mean,” is a descriptive statistic that is used as a summary assessment of a sample’s feature (dataset). It is the most easily understood measure of central tendency and is computed by adding all integers in a data set and then dividing by the number of data items. Because the phrase “average” can be used to describe other statistics like the median or mode, and the term “mean” can apply to other means like the geometric or harmonic mean, the term “arithmetic mean” is used for clarity.In statistics the mean is usually denoted with a bar, say x (read “x bar”), meaning the mean of values x1, x2 … xn.

The arithmetic mean of the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, for example, is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 7 + 10 / 6 = 4.5. (verified using this arithmetic mean calculator). As you can see, the number 4.5 was not included in the original set of numbers, which is a regular occurrence. The mean is not a robust statistic, which means that outliers / extreme numbers have a big influence on it. When the number 99 is added to the previous set of numbers, the mean rises from 4.5 to 18, which is much higher than all but one of the values in the set. This is a desirable quality in some circumstances, but it renders the simple mean useless in others.

A “mean” or “average” may in some situations refer to a weighted average, in which different weights are applied to distinct points of the data set based on some feature of theirs. Weighted averages are not supported by this mean calculator since they require a more complex set of inputs.