Which of the following is the mathematical average of all measurements in a data set?

• A. The median
• B. The mean
• C. The mode
• D. The range

Answer: (B)

The mean is the mathematical average of all measurements, found by adding them up and dividing by how many measurements there are. This uses every data point to establish an overall central value. The median is the middle value when the data are ordered, the mode is the value that occurs most often, and the range is the difference between the largest and smallest values, reflecting spread rather than central tendency. So for the idea of the average of all measurements, the mean is the appropriate choice. For example, with values 2, 3, and 7, the mean is (2 + 3 + 7) / 3 = 4.