Quick answer
The average (arithmetic mean) of a list of numbers is their sum divided by how many there are. Enter your numbers separated by commas to get the mean, the sum, the count, the minimum and the maximum. If you also need the median, mode and range, use the [Mean Median Mode Range Calculator](/statistics/mean-median-mode-range-calculator/).
For 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42 the sum is 108 and there are 6 numbers, so the mean is 108 ÷ 6 = 18.
Related tools: Weighted Average Calculator: Weighted mean of values and weights. Fraction Calculator: Add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions with simplified and mixed-number results. Ratio Calculator: Simplify a ratio of two whole numbers.
How to use the Average Calculator
- Type numbers, for example 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42.
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers | Text, such as 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 | — |
Formula and method
Formula
mean = Σx ÷ n
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places.
Sum the values and divide by how many there are.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Numbers = 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Average (mean) | 18 |
| Sum | 108 |
| Count | 6 |
| Minimum | 4 |
| Maximum | 42 |
Example 2
Inputs: Numbers = 5.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Average (mean) | 5 |
| Sum | 5 |
| Count | 1 |
| Minimum | 5 |
| Maximum | 5 |
Example 3
Inputs: Numbers = -2 2.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Average (mean) | 0 |
| Sum | 0 |
| Count | 2 |
| Minimum | -2 |
| Maximum | 2 |
The first line is the headline result (average (mean)). Below it the average Calculator lists sum, count, minimum and maximum, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places.
Mean, median, mode and range
The mean is the total divided by the count. The median is the middle value once the data is sorted (the average of the two middle values when the count is even). The mode is the value that appears most often, and a list can have more than one. The range is the largest value minus the smallest.
For the list above the median is (15 + 16) ÷ 2 = 15.5, there is no repeated value so no mode, and the range is 42 − 4 = 38.
When the mean misleads
The mean is pulled toward extreme values. Replace 42 with 420 in the list and the mean jumps to (4 + 8 + 15 + 16 + 23 + 420) ÷ 6 = 81, while the median stays 15.5. When data has a few very large or very small values, the median describes a typical value better.
Means of sample lists
Every figure in this table comes from running this calculator, so it matches what the form returns.
| Numbers | Average (mean) | Sum | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 | 18 | 108 | 6 |
| 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 420 | 81 | 486 | 6 |
| 10, 20, 30 | 20 | 60 | 3 |
| 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 5.5 | 4 | 16 | 4 |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Numbers: left empty shows "Enter numbers." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Average Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [Weighted Average Calculator](/math/weighted-average-calculator/) | values and weights | Weighted average |
| [Fraction Calculator](/math/fraction-calculator/) | numerator 1, denominator 1 and operation | Result |
| [Ratio Calculator](/math/ratio-calculator/) | first number and second number | Simplified ratio |
| [Long Division Calculator](/math/long-division-calculator/) | dividend and divisor | Quotient |
| [Percent Off Calculator](/math/percent-off-calculator/) | original price and discount | Sale price |
Background: rounding and basic arithmetic
Rounding to a place looks at the digit just to its right: 0 to 4 rounds down and 5 to 9 rounds up (the half-up convention, so 2.5 becomes 3). Rounding 838.274 gives 800 to the nearest hundred, 840 to the nearest ten and 838 to the nearest one.
Some systems use banker's rounding (half to even), which sends 2.5 to 2 and 3.5 to 4; check which convention your task requires, and round only at the end of a multi-step calculation.
Assumptions and limitations
- At least one number required
- Up to 10,000 numbers
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for numbers to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
Is the average the same as the mean?
In everyday use, yes: the average usually means the arithmetic mean, the sum divided by the count. Median and mode are other kinds of average.
What does the Average Calculator calculate?
Arithmetic mean, sum, count, minimum and maximum of a list of numbers. It returns Average (mean), Sum, Count, Minimum and Maximum.
What formula does the Average Calculator use?
mean = Σx ÷ n. Sum the values and divide by how many there are.
What do I need to enter in the average Calculator?
You enter Numbers.
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places. At least one number required.
What are the limits of this calculator?
At least one number required. Up to 10,000 numbers.
What is an example of a average result?
With numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, the average (mean) is 18.
Related calculators
- Weighted Average Calculator — Weighted mean of values and weights.
- Fraction Calculator — Add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions with simplified and mixed-number results.
- Ratio Calculator — Simplify a ratio of two whole numbers.
- Long Division Calculator — Divide whole numbers to a chosen number of decimal places.
- Percent Off Calculator — Find the sale price and savings after a percentage discount.
- Rounding Calculator — Round a number to decimal places, with up, down or nearest modes.
- Remainder Calculator — Quotient and remainder of a whole-number division.
- Reciprocal Calculator — The multiplicative inverse of a number.
- Least to Greatest Calculator — Sort numbers in ascending or descending order.
Sources
- OpenStax, Prealgebra 2e (Rice University): fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and rounding
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.