Average vs. Mean — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on March 15, 2024
Average often refers to a general calculation of centrality in a data set, whereas mean specifically denotes the sum of all values divided by their count.
Difference Between Average and Mean
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Average is a term used broadly to denote a middle or typical value of a data set, encompassing mean, median, and mode, depending on the context. It's commonly used in everyday language to refer to a general sense of 'the middle' or an expected value in a range of numbers. Whereas mean is a specific type of average, calculated by adding all the numbers in a data set and then dividing by the count of those numbers. It's one of the most common measures of central tendency in statistics.
While average can be understood in various contexts and is applied according to the situation (e.g., median in a skewed distribution to avoid the skewing effect of outliers), mean always involves the same arithmetic process, making it consistent across applications. This makes mean particularly valuable in statistical analysis for comparing data sets.
Average, on the other hand, may not always provide a clear or accurate representation of data, especially in skewed distributions where outliers can dramatically affect the outcome. Mean, by its calculation, is sensitive to outliers and can provide a skewed perception if not considered with other statistical measures like median and mode.
In the context of communication, when someone asks for the average, they are often expecting the mean, but it's important to clarify the context to ensure accurate understanding and application. Mean is a specific calculation and is universally understood in mathematics and statistics to refer to the arithmetic mean.
Understanding whether to use average or mean depends on the data's nature and the information one seeks to convey. Average provides a broader, sometimes more applicable measure for non-specialists, whereas mean offers a precise and specific measure for statistical analysis.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A measure of central tendency, can refer to mean, median, or mode
The sum of all values divided by the number of values
Context
Broad, general, can vary depending on use
Specific, always involves arithmetic calculation
Sensitivity to Outliers
Depends on the type (mean is sensitive, median is not)
Sensitive
Usage in Everyday Language
Commonly used to refer to any central value
Specifically used to refer to the arithmetic average
Application in Statistics
Used generally, context determines specific measure
Precisely defined, used for specific calculation
Compare with Definitions
Average
A calculation indicating the central value of a set of numbers.
The average of 2, 4, and 6 is 4.
Mean
Used in various fields to analyze data sets.
The mean temperature for the week gives a good overview of the weather.
Average
Often used interchangeably with mean, though it can refer to median or mode.
The average temperature this month was higher than usual.
Mean
Does not vary in calculation; it's always the arithmetic process.
The mean is a precise measure for comparing data sets.
Average
Can be misleading in skewed distributions.
The average income in the city doesn't reflect the economic disparity.
Mean
A fundamental concept in statistics and mathematics.
Calculating the mean helps in understanding data distribution.
Average
Varies in its calculation method depending on the context.
The average score improved after removing the outlier.
Mean
The arithmetic average, found by dividing the sum of all values by their count.
The mean of 3, 5, and 7 is 5.
Average
Represents a way to summarize a large data set with a single value.
He scored above average on the test.
Mean
Can be skewed by outliers in the data.
A few high salaries can raise the mean income significantly.
Average
In colloquial language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a non-empty list of numbers. Different concepts of average are used in different contexts.
Mean
There are several kinds of mean in mathematics, especially in statistics: For a data set, the arithmetic mean, also known as average or arithmetic average, is a central value of a finite set of numbers: specifically, the sum of the values divided by the number of values. The arithmetic mean of a set of numbers x1, x2, ..., xn is typically denoted by x ¯ {\displaystyle {\bar {x}}} .
Average
A number expressing the central or typical value in a set of data, in particular the mode, median, or (most commonly) the mean, which is calculated by dividing the sum of the values in the set by their number
The proportion of over-60s is above the EU average of 19 per cent
Mean
Intend to convey or refer to (a particular thing); signify
I don't know what you mean
I meant you, not Jones
He was asked to clarify what his remarks meant
Average
The apportionment of financial liability resulting from loss of or damage to a ship or its cargo.
Mean
Intend (something) to occur or be the case
It was meant to be a secret
They mean no harm
Average
Constituting the result obtained by adding together several amounts and then dividing this total by the number of amounts
The average temperature in May was 4°C below normal
Mean
Have as a consequence or result
The proposals are likely to mean another hundred closures
Heavy rain meant that the pitch was waterlogged
Average
Amount to or achieve as an average rate or amount over a period of time; mean
Annual inflation averaged 2.4 per cent
Mean
Unwilling to give or share things, especially money; not generous
They're not mean with the garlic
She felt mean not giving a tip
Average
A number that typifies a set of numbers of which it is a function.
Mean
Unkind, spiteful, or unfair
I was mean to them over the festive season
Average
See arithmetic mean.
Mean
(especially of a place) poor in quality and appearance; shabby
Her home was mean and small
Average
An intermediate level or degree
Near the average in size.
Mean
Very skilful or effective; excellent
She dances a mean tango
He's a mean cook
Average
The usual or ordinary kind or quality
Although the wines vary, the average is quite good.
Mean
(of a quantity) calculated as a mean; average
Participants in the study had a mean age of 35 years
Average
(Sports)The ratio of a team's or player's successful performances such as wins, hits, or goals, divided by total opportunities for successful performance, such as games, times at bat, or shots
Finished the season with a .500 average.
A batting average of .274.
Mean
Equally far from two extremes
Hope is the mean virtue between despair and presumption
Average
The loss of a ship or cargo, caused by damage at sea.
Mean
The value obtained by dividing the sum of several quantities by their number; an average
Acid output was calculated by taking the mean of all three samples
Average
The incurrence of damage or loss of a ship or cargo at sea.
Mean
A condition, quality, or course of action equally removed from two opposite extremes
The measure expresses a mean between saving and splashing out
Average
The equitable distribution of such a loss among concerned parties.
Mean
To be used to convey; denote
"'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things'" (Lewis Carroll).
Average
A charge incurred through such a loss.
Mean
To act as a symbol of; signify or represent
In this poem, the budding flower means youth.
Average
(Nautical)Small expenses or charges that are usually paid by the master of a ship.
Mean
To intend to convey or indicate
"No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous" (Henry Adams).
Average
(Mathematics)Of, relating to, or constituting an average.
Mean
To have as a purpose or an intention; intend
I meant to go running this morning, but I overslept.
Average
Being intermediate between extremes, as on a scale
A movie of average length.
A player of average ability.
Mean
To design, intend, or destine for a certain purpose or end
A building that was meant for storage.
A student who was meant to be a scientist.
Average
Usual or ordinary in kind or character
A poll of average people.
Average eyesight.
Mean
To have as a consequence; bring about
Friction means heat.
Average
Assessed in accordance with the law of averages.
Mean
To have the importance or value of
The opinions of the critics meant nothing to him. She meant so much to me.
Average
(Mathematics)To calculate the average of
Average a set of numbers.
Mean
To have intentions of a specified kind; be disposed
They mean well but lack tact.
Average
To do or have an average of
Averaged three hours of work a day.
Mean
Lacking in kindness; unkind
The teacher was not being mean in asking you to be quiet.
Average
To distribute proportionately
Average one's income over four years so as to minimize the tax rate.
Mean
Cruel, spiteful, or malicious
A mean boy who liked to make fun of others.
Average
To be or amount to an average
Some sparrows are six inches long, but they average smaller. Our expenses averaged out to 45 dollars per day.
Mean
Expressing spite or malice
Gave me a mean look.
Average
(mathematics) The arithmetic mean.
2=The average of 10, 20 and 24 is (10 + 20 + 24)/3 = 18.
Mean
Tending toward or characterized by cruelty or violence
Mean streets.
Average
(statistics) Any measure of central tendency, especially any mean, the median, or the mode.
Mean
Extremely unpleasant or disagreeable
The meanest storm in years.
Average
Financial loss due to damage to transported goods; compensation for damage or loss.
Mean
Ignoble; base
A mean motive. ].
Average
Customs duty or similar charge payable on transported goods.
Mean
Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.
Average
Proportional or equitable distribution of financial expense.
Mean
Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.
Average
(sports) An indication of a player's ability calculated from his scoring record, etc.
Batting average
Mean
Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.
Average
In the corn trade, the medial price of the several kinds of grain in the principal corn markets.
Mean
A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.
Average
The service that a tenant owed his lord, to be done by the animals of the tenant, such as the transportation of wheat, turf, etc.
Mean
The average value of a set of numbers.
Average
(not comparable) Constituting or relating to the average.
The average age of the participants was 18.5.
Mean
(Logic) The middle term in a syllogism.
Average
Neither very good nor very bad; rated somewhere in the middle of all others in the same category.
I soon found I was only an average chess player.
Mean
Means (used with a sing. or pl. verb) A method, a course of action, or an instrument by which an act can be accomplished or an end achieved.
Average
Typical.
The average family will not need the more expensive features of this product.
Mean
Money, property, or other wealth
You ought to live within your means.
Average
(informal) Not outstanding, not good, banal; bad or poor.
Mean
Great wealth
A woman of means.
Average
(transitive) To compute the average of, especially the arithmetic mean.
If you average 10, 20 and 24, you get 18.
Mean
To intend.
Average
(transitive) Over a period of time or across members of a population, to have or generate a mean value of.
The daily high temperature last month averaged 15°C.
I averaged 75% in my examinations this year.
Mean
(transitive) To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention.
I didn't mean to knock your tooth out.
I mean to go to Baddeck this summer.
I meant to take the car in for a smog check, but it slipped my mind.
The authors meant a challenge to the status quo.
Average
(transitive) To divide among a number, according to a given proportion.
To average a loss
Mean
(intransitive) To have as intentions of a given kind.
Don't be angry; she meant well.
Average
(intransitive) To be, generally or on average.
Mean
To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate; to predestine.
Actually this desk was meant for the subeditor.
Man was not meant to question such things.
Average
That service which a tenant owed his lord, to be done by the work beasts of the tenant, as the carriage of wheat, turf, etc.
Mean
(transitive) To intend an ensuing comment or statement as an explanation.[https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/i_mean%20I%20mean]
Your reasoning seems needlessly abstruse, complex, and verbose for me. I mean, could you dumb it down for my sake?
Average
A tariff or duty on goods, etc.
Mean
To convey (a meaning).
Average
A mean proportion, medial sum or quantity, made out of unequal sums or quantities; an arithmetical mean. Thus, if A loses 5 dollars, B 9, and C 16, the sum is 30, and the average 10.
Mean
(transitive) To convey (a given sense); to signify, or indicate (an object or idea).
The sky is red this morning—does that mean we're in for a storm?
Average
Any medial estimate or general statement derived from a comparison of diverse specific cases; a medium or usual size, quantity, quality, rate, etc.
Mean
(transitive) Of a word, symbol etc: to have reference to, to signify.
What does this hieroglyph mean?
Average
In the English corn trade, the medial price of the several kinds of grain in the principal corn markets.
Mean
(transitive) Of a person (or animal etc): to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude.
I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean.
He is a little different, if you know what I mean.
Average
Pertaining to an average or mean; medial; containing a mean proportion; of a mean size, quality, ability, etc.; ordinary; usual; as, an average rate of profit; an average amount of rain; the average Englishman; beings of the average stamp.
Mean
(transitive) To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says).
Does she really mean what she said to him last night?
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Average
According to the laws of averages; as, the loss must be made good by average contribution.
Mean
(usually with to) To be of some level of importance.
That little dog meant everything to me.
Formality and titles mean nothing in their circle.
Average
To find the mean of, when sums or quantities are unequal; to reduce to a mean.
Mean
To lament.
Average
To divide among a number, according to a given proportion; as, to average a loss.
Mean
(obsolete) Common; general.
Average
To do, accomplish, get, etc., on an average.
Mean
Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.
A man of mean parentage
A mean abode
Average
To form, or exist in, a mean or medial sum or quantity; to amount to, or to be, on an average; as, the losses of the owners will average twenty five dollars each; these spars average ten feet in length.
Mean
Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.
A mean appearance
A mean dress
Average
A statistic describing the location of a distribution;
It set the norm for American homes
Mean
Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.
A mean motive
It was mean of you to steal that little girl's piggy bank.
Average
Amount to or come to an average, without loss or gain;
The number of hours I work per work averages out to 40
Mean
Of little value or worth; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
Average
Achieve or reach on average;
He averaged a C
Mean
Ungenerous; stingy; tight-fisted.
He's so mean. I've never seen him spend so much as five pounds on presents for his children.
Average
Compute the average of
Mean
Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating.
Average
Approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value;
The average income in New England is below that of the nation
Of average height for his age
The mean annual rainfall
Mean
Intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise; bearing ill will towards another.
Watch out for her, she's mean. I said good morning to her, and she punched me in the nose.
Average
Lacking special distinction, rank, or status; commonly encountered;
Average people
The ordinary (or common) man in the street
Mean
Powerful; fierce; strong.
It must have been a mean typhoon that levelled this town.
Average
Of no exceptional quality or ability;
A novel of average merit
Only a fair performance of the sonata
In fair health
The caliber of the students has gone from mediocre to above average
The performance was middling at best
Mean
(colloquial) Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.
Your mother can roll a mean cigarette.
He hits a mean backhand.
Average
Around the middle of a scale of evaluation of physical measures;
An orange of average size
Intermediate capacity
A plane with intermediate range
Medium bombers
Mean
Difficult, tricky.
This problem is mean!
Average
Relating to or constituting the most frequent value in a distribution;
The modal age at which American novelists reach their peak is 30
Mean
Having the mean (see noun below) as its value; average.
The mean family has 2.4 children.
Average
Relating to or constituting the middle value of an ordered set of values (or the average of the middle two in an even-numbered set);
The median value of 17, 20, and 36 is 20
The median income for the year was $15,000
Mean
(obsolete) Middling; intermediate; moderately good, tolerable.
Mean
A method or course of action used to achieve some result.
Mean
An intermediate step or intermediate steps.
Mean
Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium.
Mean
The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument.
Mean
(statistics) The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms; the arithmetic mean.
Mean
(mathematics) Any function of multiple variables that satisfies certain properties and yields a number representative of its arguments; or, the number so yielded; a measure of central tendency.
Mean
(mathematics) Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6.
Mean
To have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do?
What mean ye by this service ?
Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.
I am not a SpaniardTo say that it is yours and not to mean it.
Mean
To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote.
What mean these seven ewe lambs ?
Go ye, and learn what that meaneth.
Mean
To have a purpose or intention.
Mean
Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble.
The mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself.
Mean
Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive.
Can you imagine I so mean could prove,To save my life by changing of my love ?
Mean
Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.
The Roman legions and great Cæsar foundOur fathers no mean foes.
Mean
Of poor quality; as, mean fare.
Mean
Penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality.
Mean
Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes.
Being of middle age and a mean stature.
Mean
Intermediate in excellence of any kind.
According to the fittest style of lofty, mean, or lowly.
Mean
Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day.
Mean
That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure.
But to speak in a mean, the virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue of adversity is fortitude.
There is a mean in all things.
The extremes we have mentioned, between which the wellinstracted Christian holds the mean, are correlatives.
Mean
A quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the nth root of the product of the n quantities being averaged.
Mean
That through which, or by the help of which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired; intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent; instrument.
Their virtuous conversation was a mean to work the conversion of the heathen to Christ.
You may be able, by this mean, to review your own scientific acquirements.
Philosophical doubt is not an end, but a mean.
By this means he had them more at vantage.
What other means is left unto us.
Mean
Resources; property, revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood, or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose; disposable force or substance.
Your means are very slender, and your waste is great.
Mean
A part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part.
The mean is drowned with your unruly base.
Mean
Meantime; meanwhile.
Mean
A mediator; a go-between.
He wooeth her by means and by brokage.
If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead.
The wine on this side of the lake is by no means so good as that on the other.
Mean
An average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n
Mean
Mean or intend to express or convey;
You never understand what I mean!
What do his words intend?
Mean
Have as a logical consequence;
The water shortage means that we have to stop taking long showers
Mean
Denote or connote;
`maison' means `house' in French
An example sentence would show what this word means
Mean
Have in mind as a purpose;
I mean no harm
I only meant to help you
She didn't think to harm me
We thought to return early that night
Mean
Have a specified degree of importance;
My ex-husband means nothing to me
Happiness means everything
Mean
Intend to refer to;
I'm thinking of good food when I talk about France
Yes, I meant you when I complained about people who gossip!
Mean
Destine or designate for a certain purpose;
These flowers were meant for you
Mean
Approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value;
The average income in New England is below that of the nation
Of average height for his age
The mean annual rainfall
Mean
Characterized by malice;
A hateful thing to do
In a mean mood
Mean
Having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality;
That liberal obedience without which your army would be a base rabble
Taking a mean advantage
Chok'd with ambition of the meaner sort
Something essentially vulgar and meanspirited in politics
Mean
Excellent;
Famous for a mean backhand
Mean
Marked by poverty befitting a beggar;
A beggarly existence in the slums
A mean hut
Mean
Used of persons or behavior; characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity;
A mean person
He left a miserly tip
Mean
Used of sums of money; so small in amount as to deserve contempt
Common Curiosities
Is the median ever called an average?
Yes, median is a type of average, particularly used as a central measure in skewed distributions.
Can the average be the same as the mean?
Yes, in many contexts, the term average is used to refer specifically to the arithmetic mean.
Are average and mean used differently in everyday language versus mathematics?
Yes, average is used more broadly in everyday language, while mean has a specific mathematical definition.
Why is mean important in statistics?
Mean provides a precise measure of the central tendency that is essential for data analysis and comparison.
Does the mode count as an average?
Yes, in a broad sense, the mode is considered a type of average, representing the most common value in a data set.
Can there be more than one mode in a data set?
Yes, a data set can have more than one mode, known as bimodal or multimodal, depending on the number of values that occur most frequently.
What's the easiest way to calculate the mean?
Add all the numbers together and divide by the count of the numbers.
What is the geometric mean, and how does it differ from the arithmetic mean?
The geometric mean is a type of mean that is calculated by multiplying all the numbers together, taking the nth root (where n is the number of values), useful for data sets that vary greatly in range.
What is the difference between average and mean?
Average is a broad term that can refer to mean, median, or mode, depending on context, while mean specifically refers to the sum of values divided by their count.
How do outliers affect the mean?
Outliers can skew the mean, making it higher or lower than the central tendency of the rest of the data.
When should I use the median instead of the mean?
When your data set has outliers that skew the mean, the median can provide a better central tendency measure.
How do you handle outliers when calculating the mean?
Sometimes outliers are removed, or other measures of central tendency (like the median) are used to get a more accurate representation of the data set.
Is it possible for the mean and median to be the same?
Yes, in symmetric distributions, the mean and median are the same, indicating a balanced data set.
What role does the mean play in predictive analytics?
The mean is used to forecast future events based on historical data, assuming the average of past events is a good indicator of future outcomes.
Why might the arithmetic mean not be a good measure for all data sets?
Because it can be heavily influenced by extreme values (outliers), which may not accurately represent the data's central tendency.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
