Related Terms
Simple or arithmetic average of a range of values or quantities, computed by dividing the total of all values by the number of values. For example, the mean of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 is (15 ÷ 5) = 3. It is the most common and best general purpose measure of the mid-point (around which all other values cluster) of a set of values, but is prone to distortion by the presence of extreme values and may require use of a measure of distortion (such as mean deviation or standard deviation). Also called arithmetic mean. See also median and mode.

Use 'mean' in a Sentence

Finding the mean, median, and mode of a set of numbers are critical math skills taught to school children at an early age.
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The mean is also known commonly as the average and is a basic mathematical function which allows us to better understand populations.
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I am 26 years old, my brother is 22 years old, and my sister is 24 years old; our mean age is 24 years.
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