How to calculate arithmetic mean in Excel

When working with numerical expressions, sometimes there is a need to calculate their average value. In mathematics, this value is called the arithmetic mean. In Excel - the spreadsheet editor from Microsoft - there is an opportunity not to manually calculate it, but to use special tools. In this article, methods will be presented just the same, allowing you to find out and derive the number of arithmetic mean.

Method 1: Standard

First of all, we will analyze the method of calculating the arithmetic mean in Excel, which implies the use of a standard tool for this. The method is the simplest and most convenient to use, but it also has some disadvantages. But more about them later, and now let's move on to the task.

1. Select the cells in the column or row that contain the numerical values ​​for the calculation.
2. Go to the "Home" tab.
3. On the toolbar in the "Editing" category, click on the "AutoSum" button, however, you need to press the arrow next to it so that a drop-down list appears.
4. In it you need to click on the item "Secondary".

As soon as you do this, the result of calculating the arithmetic mean of the selected values ​​will appear in the cell next to it. Its location will depend on the data block, if you select a row, then the result will be to the right of the selection, if the column is below.

But as mentioned earlier, this method also has drawbacks. So, you will not be able to calculate the value from a range of cells, or cells located in different places. For example, if two columns with numerical values ​​are adjacent to your table, then, highlighting them and performing the above steps, you will get the result for each column separately.

Method 2: using the Function Wizard

There are many ways to find the arithmetic mean in Excel, and it is natural that with their help there is an opportunity to circumvent the limitations implying the previous method. Now we will talk about performing calculations by using the Function Wizard. So here is what you need to do.

1. By clicking the left mouse button, select the cell in which you want to see the calculation result.
2. Open the Function Wizard window by clicking on the “Insert Function” button located to the left of the formula bar or using the Shift + F3 hotkeys.
3. In the window that appears, look for the line “AVERAGE” in the list, select it and click the “OK” button.
4. A new window will appear for entering function arguments. In it you will see two fields: “Number1” and “Number2”.
5. In the first field, enter the addresses of the cells in which the numerical values ​​for calculation are located. You can do this either manually or using a special tool. In the second case, click on the button located on the right side of the input field. The Wizard window will be minimized and you will need to select the cells with the mouse for calculation.
6. If another range of data cells is located in another place on the sheet, then specify it in the Number2 field.
7. Fill in the data entry until you specify all necessary.
8. Click the OK button.

Upon completion of the entry, the Wizard window closes, and the result of the calculations appears in the cell that you selected at the very beginning. Now you know the second way how to calculate arithmetic mean in Excel. But not the last, so we move on.

Method 3: through the formula bar

This method, how to calculate the arithmetic mean in Excel, is not much different from the previous one, but in some cases it may seem more convenient, so it should be taken apart. For the most part, this method offers only an alternative way to call the Function Wizard.

1. Click the Formulas tab.
2. Select the cell in which you want to see the result of the calculations.
3. On the toolbar, click on the "Other Functions" button located in the "Function Library" tool group.
4. In the menu that appears, move the cursor to the “Static” item and select the “AVERAGE” function in the additional list.
   
   
   
   
   
   

As soon as all the actions in the list are completed, the Function Wizard window will appear in front of you, where you need to enter arguments. You already know how to do this from the previous method, all subsequent actions are no different.

Method 4: Manual Function Entry

If you wish, you can avoid interacting with the Function Wizard if you know the arithmetic mean formula in Excel. In some situations, its manual entry will speed up the calculation process many times.

To understand all the nuances, you need to look at the syntax of the formula, it looks like this:

=(_(); _())

From the syntax it follows that in the function arguments it is necessary to write down either the address of the range of cells in which the numbers for counting are located, or directly the numbers themselves for calculation. In practice, the use of this method is as follows:

=(C4:D6;C8:D9)

Method 5: conditional calculation

The arithmetic mean in Excel can be calculated using some conditions. For this, a slightly modified formula "AVERAGE" is used. First you need to run it:

• select the cell in which the calculation will be performed;
• press the button “insert function”;
• in the wizard window that appears, in the list, select the line "cf."
• Click OK.

After that, a window will appear for entering function arguments. It is very similar to what was demonstrated earlier, only now an additional field has appeared - “Condition”. It is in it that the condition must be entered. So, by entering "> 1500", only those values ​​that are greater than the specified value will be taken into account.

This method of calculating the arithmetic mean in Excel is perfect in cases where you are working with a huge range of data, the exclusion of unnecessary values ​​from which takes a lot of time.