Formula
Average = sum of values ÷ number of values. For five inputs: average = (value 1 + value 2 + value 3 + value 4 + value 5) ÷ 5.
CalculationTime
To calculate time is to make the future less invisible.
Worked example
For 72, 85, 90, 68 and 80, the sum is 395. Divide 395 by 5 values to get an average of 79.
Professional note
Master’s Tip: before using an average for grades, prices, measurements or job records, check whether every value deserves equal weight. If one entry represents more work, more units or more time than another, use a weighted average instead.
Regional and unit assumptions
Standard or basis: transparent arithmetic mean. The calculator uses equal weighting and includes every visible input value in the count.
Assumptions and limitations
- All five visible input boxes are included in the arithmetic mean.
- A zero input is treated as a real value, not as a blank or missing value.
- Each value has equal weight. This is not a weighted average calculator.
- The result is transparent general arithmetic; no named legal or industry standard is implied.
Methodology & Accuracy
How this calculator is checked
CalculationTime pages are built around visible arithmetic: the formula, assumptions, worked example and practical limitations are shown so the result can be checked rather than simply trusted.
Formula used
Average = sum of values ÷ number of values. For five inputs: average = (value 1 + value 2 + value 3 + value 4 + value 5) ÷ 5.
Standard or basis
Standard or basis: transparent arithmetic mean. The calculator uses equal weighting and includes every visible input value in the count.
Where a calculator follows a named legal, trade or industry standard, that standard is cited visibly. Otherwise the page uses transparent general arithmetic and states its limits.Master's Tip
Master’s Tip: before using an average for grades, prices, measurements or job records, check whether every value deserves equal weight. If one entry represents more work, more units or more time than another, use a weighted average instead.
Related calculators
Questions
How do you calculate an average?
Add all the values together, then divide that total by the number of values included in the set.
What is the average of 72, 85, 90, 68 and 80?
The total is 395. Divide by 5 values to get an average of 79.
Does zero count in an average?
Yes. If zero is entered, this calculator treats it as a real value and includes it in both the sum and the count.
Is this a weighted average?
No. This calculator uses the simple arithmetic mean where every entered value has the same weight.
Can an average hide extreme values?
Yes. One unusually high or low value can move the mean. Check the individual values when the average will guide a decision.
Calculation note
Averages are one of the simplest ways to summarise a group of numbers, but they are only useful when the values being combined have the same meaning and deserve the same weight.
The arithmetic mean is a balance point
The arithmetic mean can be understood as the equal-share value: if the total amount were spread evenly across all entries, each entry would receive the average. That makes it useful for marks, measurements, prices and repeated observations when each entry has equal importance.
Why the count matters as much as the total
Forgetting the count is a common averaging mistake. Adding five measurements and dividing by four, or treating a missing value as zero, can change the result enough to affect a grade, quote, stock check or report.
Mean, median and weighted average are different tools
The mean uses every value and can be pulled by outliers. The median shows the middle value. A weighted average gives some values more influence. This page deliberately calculates the simple mean and states that basis visibly.
Sources and further readingNIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook of Statistical Methods: LocationEncyclopaedia Britannica: Mean