Average Calculator.

Paste or type a list of numbers to get the mean, median, mode, range and standard deviation, or work out a weighted average of marks or prices.

Separate values with commas, spaces or new lines, or paste a column from a spreadsheet. Leave out thousands separators: 1,234 reads as two numbers.

Average (mean)

18

108 ÷ 6 = 18

Median

15.5

Mode

None

Range

38

Count

6

Sum

108

Min – max

4 – 42

Std dev (sample)

13.4907

Std dev (population)

12.3153

Weighted average

For example a mark and the percentage of the grade it counts for. A line with no weight counts once.

Weighted average

84.3

8,430 ÷ 100 = 84.3

How to find the average of a list of numbers

  1. Type or paste the numbers, separated by commas, spaces or new lines.
  2. Read the mean, which is the sum divided by the count.
  3. Compare it with the median; a big gap means an outlier is pulling the mean.
  4. For marks that count differently, put each value and its weight on a line in the weighted panel.

About the average calculator

The average most people mean is the arithmetic mean: add the values and divide by how many there are. For 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 that is 108 ÷ 6 = 18. The calculator also gives the two other averages, because each answers a different question.

Median and mode. The median is the middle value once the list is sorted, or the midpoint of the middle two when the count is even, so 15.5 here. It ignores how extreme the ends are, which is why house prices and salaries are reported as medians: one very large value drags the mean but not the median. The mode is the value that occurs most often; a list can have several, or none, as here.

Spread. The range is the largest value minus the smallest. The standard deviation measures how far values typically sit from the mean. Use the population figure (divide by n) when the list is everything you care about, and the sample figure (divide by n − 1) when it is a sample from something larger; they match a spreadsheet's STDEV.P and STDEV.S.

Weighted average. When values count for different amounts, multiply each by its weight, add those up, and divide by the total weight. Marks of 85 and 92 that each count 30% and 78 that counts 40% average (2,550 + 2,760 + 3,120) ÷ 100 = 84.3, not the 85 a plain mean would give. The same arithmetic gives an average price from quantities bought, or a GPA from credit hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate the average?

Add the numbers and divide by how many there are. For 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 that is 108 ÷ 6 = 18.

What is the difference between the mean, median and mode?

The mean is the sum divided by the count. The median is the middle value once the numbers are sorted (15.5 for the list above, halfway between 15 and 16). The mode is the value that occurs most often; that list has none. The median ignores extreme values, which is why the 42 pulls the mean up to 18 but leaves the median at 15.5.

How do I calculate a weighted average?

Multiply each value by its weight, add the results, and divide by the total weight. Marks of 85 and 92 that each count 30% and a 78 that counts 40% give (2,550 + 2,760 + 3,120) ÷ 100 = 84.3.

Should I use the sample or the population standard deviation?

Use the population figure (dividing by n) when your list is all the data you care about, and the sample figure (dividing by n − 1) when it is a sample from something larger. For 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 they are 12.32 and 13.49. Spreadsheets call them STDEV.P and STDEV.S.

Can I paste a column from a spreadsheet?

Yes. Values can be separated by new lines, spaces, commas or semicolons. Leave out thousands separators, because a comma separates values: 1,234 reads as 1 and 234.

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