Calculate the Arithmetic Mean: Finding Average of 1 and 12

Q: Why isn't 13 the answer since that's what I get when I add?

Adding gives you the sum, not the average! The average is the sum divided by how many numbers you're averaging. Since you have 2 numbers, divide: $ \frac{13}{2} = 6.5 $.

Q: How can I check if my average makes sense?

The average should always be between your smallest and largest numbers. Since 1

Q: What if I have more than two numbers?

The same formula works! Add all the numbers together, then divide by how many numbers you have. For example: average of 2, 4, 6 = $ \frac{2+4+6}{3} = 4 $.

Q: Why do we call it an average instead of a mean?

Average and arithmetic mean are the same thing! Both terms describe finding the middle value by adding numbers and dividing by the count.

Q: Can the average be a decimal even when all my numbers are whole numbers?

Yes! When you divide, you might get a decimal. For example, $ \frac{13}{2} = 6.5 $ even though both 1 and 12 are whole numbers.

Arithmetic Mean with Two-Number Sets

Calculate the average of $1$ and $12$ .

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:04 Let's learn how to find the average.

00:07 First, add up all the numbers you have.

00:11 Next, divide this sum by how many numbers you added.

00:15 In this case, we're dividing by two because there are two numbers.

00:22 And that's how you find the average. Great job!

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

Calculate the average of $1$ and $12$ .

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we need to calculate the average of the numbers 1 and 12. The average can be calculated using the formula:
$\text{average} = \frac{\text{sum of numbers}}{\text{number of values}}$ .

Now, let's work through the steps:
Step 1: Calculate the sum of the numbers:
$1 + 12 = 13$ .

Step 2: Determine the number of values, which is 2 in this case.
Step 3: Apply the average formula:
$\text{average} = \frac{13}{2} = 6.5$ .

Therefore, the average of the numbers 1 and 12 is $6.5$ .

Considering the given answer choices, choice 1 with $6.5$ is the correct answer as per our calculations.

Final Answer

6.5

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Formula: Average equals sum of values divided by count
Technique: Add 1 + 12 = 13, then divide by 2
Check: Verify $\frac{13}{2} = 6.5$ is between 1 and 12 ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Forgetting to divide by the number of values
Don't just add the numbers (1 + 12 = 13) and call that the average! This gives you the sum, not the average. Always divide the sum by how many numbers you have: 13 ÷ 2 = 6.5.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Calculate the average of $$ 11 $$ and $$ 7 $$ .

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why isn't 13 the answer since that's what I get when I add?

Adding gives you the sum, not the average! The average is the sum divided by how many numbers you're averaging. Since you have 2 numbers, divide: $\frac{13}{2} = 6.5$ .

How can I check if my average makes sense?

The average should always be between your smallest and largest numbers. Since 1 < 6.5 < 12, our answer of 6.5 makes perfect sense!

What if I have more than two numbers?

The same formula works! Add all the numbers together, then divide by how many numbers you have. For example: average of 2, 4, 6 = $\frac{2+4+6}{3} = 4$ .

Why do we call it an average instead of a mean?

Average and arithmetic mean are the same thing! Both terms describe finding the middle value by adding numbers and dividing by the count.

Can the average be a decimal even when all my numbers are whole numbers?

Yes! When you divide, you might get a decimal. For example, $\frac{13}{2} = 6.5$ even though both 1 and 12 are whole numbers.

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