9.3 Average

The average, or the mean, is the sum of all the numbers divided by the number of terms.

Example 1 - The line production rates for the members of a hand crew were as follows: 8.0 chains per hour, 7.0 chains per hour, 6.0 chains per hour, 7.5 chains per hour, and 7.0 chains per hour. What is the average number of fireline chains constructed per hour?

Step 1. Add all the numbers.
8.0 + 7.0 + 6.0 + 7.5 + 7.0 = 35.5 chains

Step 2. Count the number of terms.
5 terms

Step 3. Divide the sum of the numbers by the number of terms.
35.5 / 5 = 7.1 chains

The average is 7.1 chains of fireline constructed per hour.