how to find sample mean

Question

The sample mean, represented by the symbol x̄, is essentially the average of a set of data points in a sample, which is a subset of a larger population. It helps estimate the population mean, especially when collecting data from the entire population is impractical.

Answer 1

Here's how to find the sample mean:

1. Formula:

The formula for finding the sample mean is:

x̄ = (Σ xi) / n

x̄ represents the sample mean.

Σ (sigma) is the summation symbol, indicating you need to add up all the values.

xi represents each individual value in your sample data set.

n represents the total number of values in your sample.

2. Steps:

Add up all the values (xi) in your sample.

Divide the sum obtained in step 1 by the total number of values (n) in your sample.

3. Example:

Let's say you have a sample of exam scores: 85, 92, 78, 90, and 82.

a. Add the scores: 85 + 92 + 78 + 90 + 82 = 427

b. Divide the sum by the number of scores (n = 5): 427 / 5 = 85.4

Therefore, the sample mean score is 85.4.

Additional notes:

You can use a calculator to perform the addition and division steps.

For larger datasets, using spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets can simplify the calculations. These programs have built-in functions to calculate the mean.