The mean is the 'even share' average. Add every value to get the total, then divide by how many numbers there are. For 4, 7, 3, 10, 6 the total is 30 and there are 5 numbers, so the mean is 30 ÷ 5 = 6. Every value counts — a zero is still a number to divide by, and one big number pulls the mean up. If you stop at the total you have only done half the job; the sharing step is what makes it an average.
Explore this idea with maths tools
Maths you can move
Build 8 + 5
Tap two gold counters to fill the ten-frame.
8 in the frame + 5 waiting. The total stays the same.
Words to know
- mean
- the total shared equally between all the values
- total
- every value added together
- average
- a single number that stands in for a whole set
Worked examples
Mean of 4, 7, 3, 10, 6
- 1.Add: 4 + 7 + 3 + 10 + 6 = 30.
- 2.Divide by 5: 30 ÷ 5 = 6.
= 6
Mean of 8, 8, 5, 3
- 1.Add: 8 + 8 + 5 + 3 = 24.
- 2.Divide by 4: 24 ÷ 4 = 6.
= 6
Mean of 0, 3, 6, 9, 2
- 1.Add: 0 + 3 + 6 + 9 + 2 = 20.
- 2.There are 5 numbers (the 0 counts): 20 ÷ 5 = 4.
= 4
For parents
Method: Add-them-all-then-share.
What to say: After they add, ask 'share between how many?' — the dividing step is the one that gets skipped.
Common mistakes:
- Reporting the total and forgetting to divide.
- Dividing by the wrong count (missing a zero or a repeat).
- Averaging only the biggest and smallest (that is the midrange, not the mean).