Enter a list of numbers below. You will instantly see the average, the middle value, the most common value, and the total spread. Each result is explained in plain words, not just shown as a number.
Separate each number with a comma or a space. You can paste a full list at once.
Please enter at least two numbers, separated by commas or spaces.
Mean
0
Median
0
Mode
0
Range
0
Count: 0Sum: 0Lowest: 0Highest: 0Sorted list: –
Where your numbers fall
Your numbersMost common valueMeanMedian
Measure 1What is the mean?
The mean is what most people simply call the average. It adds up every number in your list, then divides that total by how many numbers there are.
Mean = (Sum of all numbers) ÷ (Count of numbers)
In plain words, add every value together first. Then divide that one big total by how many values you added.
Real life example. Five friends scored 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90 on a test. Add these together to get 400. Divide by 5 and the mean score is 80.
Why you need it. The mean gives you one quick number that represents a whole group. It works well when your numbers are fairly close together. It can be misleading when one number is far higher or lower than the rest.
Measure 2What is the median?
The median is the middle number once your list is sorted from smallest to largest. It is not affected by extreme values the way the mean is.
Median = middle value of the sorted list (or the average of the two middle values, if the count is even)
Sort your numbers first. If you have an odd count, pick the exact middle one. If you have an even count, take the two middle numbers and find their average.
Real life example. Five houses on a street sell for $200k, $210k, $220k, $230k and $900k. The mean price looks huge because of the last house. The median is $220k, which better reflects a typical home on that street.
Why you need it. Use the median whenever a few extreme values could distort the picture, such as income, home prices, or salaries.
Measure 3What is the mode?
The mode is simply the value that shows up most often in your list. A list can have one mode, several modes, or no mode at all.
Mode = the value(s) with the highest frequency
Count how many times each number appears. Whichever number appears the most is your mode. If two numbers tie for the top spot, your list has two modes.
Real life example. A shoe store sells sizes 8, 9, 9, 10, 9 and 11 in one day. Size 9 sold three times, more than any other size, so 9 is the mode.
Why you need it. The mode is especially useful for categories or repeated choices, like the most popular size, color, or answer in a survey.
Measure 4What is the range?
The range shows how spread out your numbers are. It is simply the gap between the highest and the lowest value in your list.
Range = Highest value − Lowest value
Find the biggest number in your list. Find the smallest number in your list. Subtract the smallest from the biggest.
Real life example. This month’s daily temperatures ranged from a low of 52°F to a high of 89°F. The range is 89 minus 52, which equals 37 degrees.
Why you need it. Range gives you a fast sense of variability. A small range means your data stays fairly steady. A large range signals more variation or unpredictability.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the mean sometimes look wrong?
A single very high or very low number can pull the mean far away from what most values actually look like. This is called an outlier. The median often gives a fairer picture in that situation.
What if my list has no mode?
If every number in your list appears exactly once, there is no repeated value, so there is no mode. This calculator will show “No mode” in that case.
Can a list have more than one mode?
Yes. If two or more numbers tie for the highest number of appearances, all of them count as modes. This is often called bimodal, or multimodal for three or more.
Is a bigger range always a bad sign?
Not necessarily. A wide range simply means more variation exists in your data. Whether that is good or bad depends entirely on what you are measuring.
Want to measure spread more precisely?
See how your investment or business numbers actually grow over time.
