How to Use the Average Calculator

1. Enter the numbers you want to analyze in the box above.
2. Separate the numbers with commas, spaces or line breaks. You can mix them freely, and extra separators are ignored.
3. Click Calculate Average.
4. Review the results shown below the input area, including the calculation steps.

Use Load Example to try the calculator with sample data, and Clear to start over.

What Is an Average?

An average is a single number that represents a whole set of numbers. It tells you where the "center" of the data lies, so you can describe a long list of values with one figure. In everyday use, "average" almost always means the arithmetic mean: add up all the values, then divide by how many there are. Averages are used for test scores, prices, temperatures, wages, speeds and many other kinds of data.

Average Formula

Average = Sum of All Values ÷ Number of Values

• Sum of All Values is the result of adding every number in your list together.
• Number of Values is how many numbers are in the list.

For example, for the numbers 4, 8 and 12, the sum is 24 and there are 3 values, so the average is 24 ÷ 3 = 8.

Example Calculation

Find the average of 12, 18, 25, 9 and 6.

1. Add the values: 12 + 18 + 25 + 9 + 6 = 70.
2. Count the values: there are 5.
3. Divide the sum by the count: 70 ÷ 5 = 14.

The average is 14. For the same data, the median is 12 (the middle value once sorted: 6, 9, 12, 18, 25), there is no mode because every value appears once, and the range is 25 − 6 = 19.

Understanding the Results

Mean

The arithmetic average: the sum divided by the count. Every value affects it, so very large or very small values can pull it up or down.

Median

The middle value when the numbers are sorted. With an even count, it is the average of the two middle values. It is less affected by extreme values than the mean.

Mode

The value that appears most often. A list can have one mode, several modes, or none when every value appears only once.

Range

The largest value minus the smallest value. It shows how spread out the data is.

Sum

All the values added together.

Count

The number of valid values used in the calculation.

Smallest, Largest and Geometric Mean

The smallest and largest values mark the ends of your data. The geometric mean multiplies the values together and takes the n-th root, which suits growth rates and ratios. It is only defined when all values are greater than zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate an average?

Add all the numbers together and divide the total by how many numbers there are. The calculator does this for you and shows the steps.

Can I calculate the average of decimal numbers?

Yes. Decimals such as 1.5 or 0.25 work exactly like whole numbers. Use a period as the decimal point.

Can an average be negative?

Yes. If the negative values outweigh the positive ones, the average is negative. For example, the average of −10, −4 and 2 is −4.

What is the difference between mean and median?

The mean is the sum divided by the count, while the median is the middle value of the sorted list. For data with outliers, such as incomes, the median is often a better picture of a typical value.

What happens when multiple values occur most frequently?

When several values tie for the highest frequency, the data has multiple modes and the calculator lists all of them. If every value appears only once, there is no mode.

Why does the calculator reject my input?

Any entry that is not a valid number, such as a letter or a stray symbol, is reported instead of being ignored, so the results are never based on guessed values.