Average calculator — mean, median, mode and deviation
Summarise a list of measurements with the mean, median, mode and spread. The count and sorted list help you check that the intended numbers were included.
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Sample standard deviation (n − 1) is the default because data is usually a sample of something larger. Use the population figure only when your numbers are the entire group.
How to use
- Paste numbers in the same unit. Use spaces, commas, semicolons or new lines between entries. Use decimal points and leave out units, labels and thousands separators.
- Check the count and sorted list. For 2, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9 there should be eight entries. Unrecognised entries are ignored.
- Choose the statistic for your question. If those values are minutes, their mean is 5 minutes, median 4.5 minutes and mode 4 minutes. Both sample and population standard deviations are shown.
Questions
When is the median useful?
The median is the middle of the sorted list, or the average of the two middle values. A few unusually large or small observations affect the mean more than the median, so compare both when the data has outliers.
What if no value repeats?
The tool shows “none” for the mode. If repeated values tie for the highest frequency, it lists all of those values.
Which standard deviation should I read?
Use the population figure to describe the complete group you entered. Use the sample figure when estimating variation in a larger population from a sample. The sample calculation divides squared deviations by n − 1; it needs at least two observations to be meaningful.
How are quartiles calculated?
The tool interpolates between positions in the sorted list, using the inclusive percentile method. For the eight-number example, Q1 is 4 and Q3 is 5.5. Other quartile conventions can give different results, especially for small lists.
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