How to Calculate Mean in Excel? 2 Useful Ways.
(Note: This guide on how to calculate Mean in Excel is suitable for all Excel versions including Office 365)
Calculating the mean in Excel is a quick and easy way to find the average of a dataset. Whether you are working with a small set of numbers or a large data table, Excel has a range of functions that can help you calculate the mean easily.
In this article, we will cover the different ways how to calculate mean in Excel. Read on to find out.
You’ll learn:
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SYNTAX
=AVERAGE(number1, [number2], …)
where,
Number1 is required. This can be a number, cell reference, or range for which you wish to calculate the average.
Number2 is optional. These are additional numbers, cell references, or ranges for which you wish to calculate the average, up to a maximum of 255.
How to Calculate Mean in Excel?
You can calculate the Mean in Excel by two different methods. One is by using the AVERAGE function. The other method involves using the SUM and COUNT functions.
By Using the AVERAGE Function
To calculate the Mean in Excel, you can use the AVERAGE function. To do this, you will need to enter the cell range containing the data you wish to include in the mean calculation. For example, if your data is in cells A1 to A10, you would enter “=AVERAGE(A1:A10)” into the cell where you want the mean to appear.
Let’s say we want to calculate the Mean of marks scored by 5 students in an English activity.
- Open a file in Excel filled with sample data.
- Select the cell where the Mean should be calculated and then navigate the cursor to the Formulas menu and click the Function icon.
- In the Functions Tab, you can see the default mathematical functions. Click AVERAGE and hit OK.
- In the selected cell, the Average formula shows up.
- Now you have to enter the cell range and press Enter. The formula becomes B2:B6. Hit OK.
- The mean will show up in the selected cell.
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By Using the SUM and COUNT Function
You can calculate Mean in Excel by using the SUM and COUNT functions. To do so, carry out the following steps.
In an Excel sheet, we can use the SUM and COUNT functions to combine values and divide them by the total number of included data.
Consider the situation where we need to determine the arithmetic mean and have been given a range of values from 10 to 50. We begin by mathematically adding all of these numbers together, i.e., (10+20+30+40+50). The total count of the given numbers is the SUM, which we then divide by 5.
As a result, the whole formula for calculating the Mean is as follows:
(10+20+30+40+50)/ 5
This gives the arithmetic mean, which is 30.
Using the SUM and COUNT functions in Excel, we can use the mathematical formula above in the method shown below:
=SUM(10,20,30,40,50)/COUNT(10,20,30,40,50)
- First, enter the values for which you want to calculate the Mean in the cell range. Here, I have entered the values in the range A1:A5.
- Select a destination cell where you wish your answer to be displayed.
- Enter the following formula:
=SUM(A1:A5)/COUNT(A1:A5)
- Hit Enter.
- The answer will be displayed in the selected cell.
In the above-mentioned steps, we saw how to calculate Mean in Excel by using the SUM and COUNT functions.
Points to Remember
- A number, a name, a range, or a cell reference with a number can be used as arguments.
- An error occurs when an argument contains an error value, or when text cannot be translated into a number.
- The arguments list does not include logical values or text representations of numbers.
- Using the AVERAGEA function will allow you to include logical values as well as text representations of numbers in references.
- With the AVERAGEIF or AVERAGEIFS function, you can calculate the average of only certain values.
- Cells with the value 0 are included if a range or cell reference argument contains text, logical values, or empty cells. However, cells with values of text or logical values are ignored.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the mean in Excel?
To calculate the Mean in Excel, follow these steps:
Select the cells that contain the data for which you want to calculate the Mean.
Click the “Home” tab on the ribbon, and then click the “Average” button in the “Editing” group. Excel will automatically calculate the Mean of the selected cells and display the result in the cell where your cursor is located. Alternatively, you can use the AVERAGE formula to calculate the Mean.
How to exclude certain values from the calculation?
To do this, you can use the AVERAGEIF function, which allows you to specify a condition for a value to be included in the mean calculation. For example, you could use the AVERAGEIF function to calculate the Mean of all values in a range that are greater than a certain number.
How to handle missing or blank cells?
By default, the AVERAGE and AVERAGEA functions will ignore empty cells and only include those that contain a value in the mean calculation. However, suppose you want to include empty cells in the calculation. In that case, you can use the AVERAGEIF function with a condition that specifies the range of cells to include in the calculation.
Can I calculate the mean of a column or row in Excel?
Yes, you can calculate the Mean of a column or row in Excel by using a cell reference that refers to the entire column or row. For example, to calculate the Mean of all the values in column A, you could use the formula “=AVERAGE(A:A)”. To calculate the Mean of all the values in row 1, you could use the formula “=AVERAGE(1:1)”.
Closing Thoughts
Calculating the Mean in Excel is a simple and powerful way to analyze and understand your data. Excel has a range of functions and tools that can help you quickly and easily calculate the Mean of your data no matter how small or large.
By using the AVERAGE and SUM and COUNT functions, you can calculate the Mean of your data with confidence and accuracy. In this article, we saw how to calculate mean in Excel.
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Simon Sez IT taught Excel and other business software for over ten years. You can access 150+ IT training courses for a low monthly fee.
Simon Calder
Chris “Simon” Calder was working as a Project Manager in IT for one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious cultural institutions, LACMA.He taught himself to use Microsoft Project from a giant textbook and hated every moment of it. Online learning was in its infancy then, but he spotted an opportunity and made an online MS Project course - the rest, as they say, is history!
