Stuck? Start here. Read the steps, try the problem, then check your answer.
I can…
I can determine the mean of a data set, use a target mean to find a missing value, and explain the mean as the fair share and the balance point of the data.
Key words
Mean — The average of a data set. Add all the values, then divide by how many values there are.
Average — Another word for the mean — the amount each value would be if the total were shared equally.
Measure of center — A single number used to describe the middle, or typical value, of a whole data set.
Balance point — The value where the total distance of the data above it equals the total distance below it. The mean is the balance point.
Data set — The whole collection of values that were gathered or measured.
Steps
Miguel's 4 days of earnings are shown with counters. When I combine all of the counters, there are 60 of them, which means Miguel earned $60 in all.
Now I redistribute the 60 counters equally among the 4 days. Each of the 4 groups ends up with 15 counters.
The arithmetic does exactly the same thing: I find the total, 60, and divide it by the number of days, 4. So 60 ÷ 4 = 15.
We can use $15 to describe Miguel's typical daily earnings. That leveled value is the mean.
Try it
Data set: 8, 12, 10, 14. What is the mean?
Check your answer
11
Add the values: 8 + 12 + 10 + 14 = 44. There are 4 values, so the mean is 44 ÷ 4 = 11.
Sentence starter
I know ___ because ___.
Goal: I can explain my reasoning using the words mean, average, measure of center, balance point, and data set.