Working out the average
You learn to work out the average of a row of numbers by adding and dividing.
How to work it out
- To work out the average, first add all the numbers together.
- Then divide that total by how many numbers there were.
16 + 8 + 10 = 24224 : 3 = 8
A worked example
6, 8 and 10
- First add all the numbers: 6 + 8 + 10 = 24.
- Count how many numbers there are: that is 3.
- Divide the total by the number of numbers: 24 ÷ 3 = 8.
- The average is 8.
More examples
4, 7 and 10
- Add: 4 + 7 + 10 = 21.
- Divide by 3: 21 ÷ 3 = 7.
- The average is 7.
5, 8, 9 and 10
- Add: 5 + 8 + 9 + 10 = 32.
- Divide by 4 numbers: 32 ÷ 4 = 8.
- The average is 8.
Try it yourself
Add all the numbers and divide by how many numbers there are
What is the average of 8, 12, 16?
Add all the numbers and divide by how many numbers there are
What is the average of 4, 7, 10?
Watch out
You divide by the wrong number, for example by 2 instead of by how many numbers there are.
Always count first how many numbers are in the row, and divide by exactly that number.
Tips
- First add, then divide by how many numbers you had.
- The average always falls between the smallest and the largest number.
Why it works
The average shares the total out fairly over all the numbers. Add everything together and divide by how many numbers there are, and you find the value in the middle.