Mean, Median, Mode

Mean, median, and mode are three ways of describing averages. Each one highlights a different aspect of a group of numbers. Once you understand how they work, they become powerful tools for summarizing data.

The mean

The mean is the sum of all values divided by the number of values. It represents the “typical” value in many situations.

Mean = sum of values / number of values

The median

The median is the middle value when numbers are arranged in order. If there is an even number of values, the median is the average of the two middle numbers.

The mode

The mode is the value that appears most often. A dataset can have one mode, multiple modes, or no mode at all.

A simple example

Consider the numbers 2, 3, 3, 5, 7:

• Mean = (2 + 3 + 3 + 5 + 7) / 5 = 4
• Median = 3
• Mode = 3

Common misconceptions

• “Mean is always the best average.” Sometimes median or mode gives a clearer picture.
• “Median always equals mean.” They can be very different depending on the data.
• “Mode must exist.” Some datasets have no repeating values.

Mean, median, and mode each tell a different story about a dataset. Understanding all three gives a more complete picture of how numbers behave.