Four numbers that describe a list
The mean, median, mode and range are the first things people work out about a set of numbers. The mean is the average, the median is the middle value, the mode is the value that appears most often and the range is the gap between the largest and smallest.
Type your numbers and this calculator shows all four, along with the count, the sum, and the working so you can follow the method.
How it is calculated
Mean = sum ÷ count
Median = middle of the sorted list (average the two middle values if the count is even)
Mode = most frequent value
Range = maximum − minimum
Worked example
Data: 5, 8, 12, 8, 3, 20, 8
- Sorted
- 3, 5, 8, 8, 8, 12, 20
- Mean
- 9.1429
- Median
- 8
- Mode
- 8
- Range
- 17
When each one is best
| Measure | Best for | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Mean | Symmetric data | Pulled by outliers |
| Median | Skewed data such as incomes | Ignores the exact values |
| Mode | Most popular choice | May not exist or may repeat |
| Range | Quick idea of spread | Uses only two values |