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

Which of the following represents a method to find the average of a data set?

1. Add the values together and divide by the count of values

2. Identify the highest and lowest values

3. List the values in ascending order

4. Count the occurrences of each value

The correct answer is: Add the values together and divide by the count of values

To find the average of a data set, the method used involves summing all the values together and then dividing that sum by the total number of values present in the data set. This process yields the mean, which is a measure of central tendency that helps summarize the data with a single value representing the overall distribution. The first step in finding the average is to ensure you have all the data values. By adding these values together, you create a total that reflects the cumulative quantity of the data set. Once this total is calculated, dividing it by the number of data values provides the average. This average tells you what a typical value in the data set might be, facilitating comparisons and a better understanding of the data as a whole. The other methods mentioned, such as identifying the highest and lowest values, listing values in ascending order, or counting occurrences of each value, serve different purposes in data analysis. While they can be helpful for understanding the range or distribution of the data, they do not directly relate to the calculation of the average. Therefore, option A is the correct and appropriate method for finding the average of a data set.