What is the meaning of the term 'mean' in statistics?

The term 'mean' in statistics refers to the average of a set of numbers. To calculate the mean, you sum all the values in the data set and then divide that total by the number of values. This method of determining central tendency provides a measure that represents the entire data set.

For example, if you have the numbers 2, 4, and 6, you would add them together to get 12 and then divide by 3 (the total count of numbers), resulting in a mean of 4. This characteristic of the mean makes it a widely used concept in both descriptive and inferential statistics, as it gives a clear indication of the central location of the data.

Understanding the mean is essential because it allows for a comparison between different data sets and highlights how individual values contribute to the overall dataset.