Introduction > Step-by-Step Statistics > Gentle Introduction > Mean

Mean The mean (often referred to as the 'average') is one of the most widely used statistics. It is calculated by adding up your individual observation values and then dividing this value by the total number of observations:                                                       mean = X1 + X2 + X3 + X4 ...                                                                                 n where n = total number of samples For example, the mean of 3, 6, 9, 2, 5 is 5. When you run your data through statistical software, the mean for your treatments will automatically be calculated. It is this value that is generally plotted in graphs or inserted into tables. A word of caution when you're calculating means - any unexpected data (either too high or too low) will give you a false result so it's worthwhile checking you don't have any values that look out of place. Exercise Given a dataset, can you calculate the mean? Ideally, you should use Excel for this

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