arithmetic mean

arithmetic mean

an average value of a set of integers, terms, or quantities, expressed as their sum divided by their number
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

arithmetic mean

[¦a·rith¦med·ik ′mēn]
(mathematics)
The average of a collection of numbers obtained by dividing the sum of the numbers by the quantity of numbers. Also known as arithmetic average; average (av).
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

arithmetic mean

(mathematics)
The mean of a list of N numbers calculated by dividing their sum by N. The arithmetic mean is appropriate for sets of numbers that are added together or that form an arithmetic series. If all the numbers in the list were changed to their arithmetic mean then their total would stay the same.

For sets of numbers that are multiplied together, the geometric mean is more appropriate.
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