How is the mean of a data set calculated?

The mean of a data set is calculated by summing all the values in the set and then dividing that total by the number of values. This method gives a central value that represents the overall distribution of the data.

To break it down further, first, you add together all the individual data points to find their total sum. After obtaining this sum, you then take that number and divide it by the count of the data points you summed. This process ensures that every value contributes equally to the final mean, thereby accurately reflecting the average of the data set.

This approach is fundamental in statistics for understanding the overall behavior of the data and is frequently used in various analyses. Other methods mentioned, such as finding the middle value (which calculates the median) or averaging only the highest and lowest values (which does not give a true representation of the whole data set), do not yield the mean and thus do not serve the same purpose.