California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Math Practice Exam

What does the term "mean" refer to in mathematics?

1. The middle number in a set of data ordered from least to greatest

2. A number found by dividing the sum of a set of numbers by the number of addends

3. The number that occurs most often in a set of data

4. The difference between the greatest and the least values in a set of data

The correct answer is: A number found by dividing the sum of a set of numbers by the number of addends

In mathematics, the term "mean" specifically refers to the average value of a set of numbers. It is determined by summing all the values in that set and then dividing this total by the number of values present. This process gives a single representative value that summarizes the data set, making it a useful measure of central tendency. For instance, if you have a data set consisting of the numbers 2, 4, 6, and 8, you would first calculate the sum (2 + 4 + 6 + 8 = 20), and then divide that sum by the total number of values in the set, which is 4. Thus, the mean is 20 divided by 4, resulting in 5. This method of finding the mean contrasts with other measures of central tendency, such as the median, which identifies the middle number when a data set is ordered, or the mode, which identifies the most frequently occurring number in a data set. Additionally, the term "range" is often used to describe the difference between the highest and lowest values rather than a measure of average. Understanding the concept of the mean is crucial for analyzing data and interpreting findings in various contexts, particularly in statistics and mathematics.