Average & Mean

1. What is Average and Mean?

Average is the sum of terms on which we need to perform average divided by the total count of the number of terms. Mean on the other hand is the smallest term of all the given terms summed up with the largest term and then the result is divided by 2. Mean is also the ratio of sum of terms to the total number of terms.

2. Is Average and Mean the same?

Yes, average and mean are interchangeably the same terms in Mathematics. They are different in the context where they are used.

3. What is the difference between Average and Mean?

Average refers to be arithmetic mean of a given value set whereas mean can be referred for arithmetic, geometric or harmonic mean of a given value set. Both differ in their mathematical formulas. Average is recommended for calculation for terms that are close to each other while mean is recommended for calculation for terms that differ from each other and are not closely related.

4. Why do we use the term Mean in Statistics instead of Average?

We use the term Mean in Statistics as it is considered to be more accurate to represent a central tendency value for a given set of terms. The central tendency includes arithmetic, geometric and average mean for the given set of values which is considered to be a more accurate representation in statistical terms.

5. How do you calculate average and mean?

Average and mean can be calculated through the below formulas:

Average = ( Sum of terms)/ (Total count of terms).
Mean = ( Sum of terms)/ (Total count of terms) or (Smallest term + Greatest term )/2

Average and Mean, both have their significance in mathematics. Average and mean are considered to be similar but they have different meanings associated with them. There are different situations in our day-to-day lives, where we use the terms ‘mean’ and ‘average’ interchangeably. We use the word “Average” for any situation where we have to give a lump sum or approximate idea of a value. However, the word “Mean” is specifically used in the context of data in statistics. Both Average and Mean can be calculated by taking the sum of the given data and then dividing it by the total number of data.

In this article, we will explain both the terms mean and average and the difference between mean and average followed by solved problems on mean and average. At the end of the article, we will have some practice problems and FAQs related to mean and average.