Enter Data and Find the Mean

As you just learned, the mean is another name for the average of a group of numbers.

You may see the mean, or average, in areas like sports statistics, and your teacher will usually average your grades to get the score that goes on your report card.

In this video, you will enter your starter data into a spreadsheet.

You will then find the mean in two ways: by using the sum equation and dividing the answer by the amount of numbers there are.

Then, by experimenting with the mean function in Google Sheets.

The starter data you will use is an example of a data set, or a collection of numbers related to a topic.

A data point is an individual piece of information.

In this example, the data set is a list of daily temperatures in April, while the data points are each individual temperature.

When you add up all the data points and divide the answer by how many points there are, the mean is what you end up with.

Picture that five of your friends has either three, five, two, three, or seven jelly beans.

They decide to put them all together and divide them equally.

This results in each of them getting four jelly beans, so four is the mean.

To begin, return to your spreadsheet and open the starter data set linked next to this video in another tab.

A spreadsheet consists of boxes called cells.

These cells are grouped into vertical series called columns and horizontal series called rows.

Columns, rows, and cells allow you to organize, sort, and visualize your data in different ways.

Begin by making headers for the columns to label your data.

Next, enter the first fifteen days of the starter data set into the spreadsheet.

If the data set you are using has fewer or more numbers than the starter set, that’s ok.

Using the sum equation saves time by adding up all the numbers for you.

Begin with an equal sign.

Next, create a formula to divide the sum by the number of rows, without including the header.

Click on a particular cell to include it in your formula.

Another way to find the mean is to use the average function, which is a preset formula.

Great! Depending on your goal, sometimes it’s useful to limit the number of decimal places or round it off.

Now, if any of your numbers change, the sum and mean will change as well.

Now, it’s your turn: Make headers for your spreadsheet, Enter your data in your spreadsheet, Find the mean by using the sum equation and dividing the answer by the number of data points, Experiment with finding the mean by using the average function, And limit the number of decimal places.