Mean, Median & Mode Calculator
Find the mean, median, and mode of any data set with this free calculator. Simply enter your numbers separated by commas, and instantly get all three measures of central tendency along with the count, sum, and range of your data.
Mean, median, and mode are the three primary measures of central tendency in statistics. Each provides a different perspective on what is 'typical' in a data set.
Mean (Arithmetic Average):
The mean is calculated by adding all values and dividing by the number of values. Formula: Mean = Sum / Count. The mean is sensitive to outliers -- a single very large or small value can significantly shift the mean.
Example: For the data set {3, 7, 7, 19, 24}, Mean = (3 + 7 + 7 + 19 + 24) / 5 = 60 / 5 = 12.
Median:
The median is the middle value when data is arranged in order. For an odd number of values, it is the exact middle value. For an even number, it is the average of the two middle values. The median is resistant to outliers.
Example: For {3, 7, 7, 19, 24}, the median is 7 (the 3rd value in a sorted list of 5).
Mode:
The mode is the value that appears most frequently. A data set can have one mode (unimodal), multiple modes (multimodal), or no mode (if all values appear with equal frequency).
Example: For {3, 7, 7, 19, 24}, the mode is 7 (appears twice).
When to Use Each:
- Mean: Best for symmetric distributions without outliers
- Median: Best when data has outliers or is skewed
- Mode: Best for categorical data or identifying the most common value