Calculate the Average: Finding Mean of 17, 4, and 12

Q: Why do I divide by 3 and not add 3?

The average formula requires division, not addition! You're finding how much each number would be if the total was equally distributed among all numbers.

Q: What if the numbers don't divide evenly?

That's completely normal! Averages can be decimals or fractions. For example, the average of 1, 2, and 3 is $ \frac{6}{3} = 2 $, but the average of 1, 2, and 4 is $ \frac{7}{3} = 2.33... $

Q: Can I use this method for more than 3 numbers?

Absolutely! The formula works for any amount of numbers: add them all up, then divide by how many numbers you added.

Q: How do I know if 11 is reasonable for this problem?

Check if your average falls between the smallest and largest numbers. Since 4

Q: What's the difference between mean, median, and mode?

Mean is the average (what we calculated). Median is the middle number when arranged in order. Mode is the most frequently appearing number.

Mean Calculation with Three Numbers

Calculate the average

of $17$ , $4$ , and $12$ .

❤️ Continue Your Math Journey!

We have hundreds of course questions with personalized recommendations + Account 100% premium

Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Calculate the average

00:04 To calculate the average, we need to divide the sum by the number of occurrences

00:07 Let's sum up the numbers

00:14 and divide by the number of occurrences (3)

00:36 and this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

Calculate the average

of $17$ , $4$ , and $12$ .

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

Step 1: Calculate the sum of the given numbers.
Step 2: Determine how many numbers are in the set.
Step 3: Use the average formula to find the solution.

Now, let's work through each step:
Step 1: Add the numbers together:
$17 + 4 + 12 = 33$ .
Step 2: Count the numbers: There are 3 numbers.
Step 3: Calculate the average using the formula:
$\text{Average} = \frac{33}{3} = 11$

Therefore, the average of the numbers 17, 4, and 12 is $11$ .

Final Answer

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Formula: Average equals sum of all numbers divided by count
Technique: Add first: 17 + 4 + 12 = 33, then divide by 3
Check: Verify 11 × 3 = 33 matches your original sum ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Forgetting to count all numbers in the set
Don't divide by 2 when you have 3 numbers = wrong average! Students often miscount or assume they're finding the average of pairs. Always count every single number in your list before dividing.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

If the balls below are divided so that each column in the table contains an equal number, then how many balls will there be in each column?

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I divide by 3 and not add 3?

The average formula requires division, not addition! You're finding how much each number would be if the total was equally distributed among all numbers.

What if the numbers don't divide evenly?

That's completely normal! Averages can be decimals or fractions. For example, the average of 1, 2, and 3 is $\frac{6}{3} = 2$ , but the average of 1, 2, and 4 is $\frac{7}{3} = 2.33...$

Can I use this method for more than 3 numbers?

Absolutely! The formula works for any amount of numbers: add them all up, then divide by how many numbers you added.

How do I know if 11 is reasonable for this problem?

Check if your average falls between the smallest and largest numbers. Since 4 < 11 < 17, the answer 11 makes sense!

What's the difference between mean, median, and mode?

Mean is the average (what we calculated). Median is the middle number when arranged in order. Mode is the most frequently appearing number.

🌟 Unlock Your Math Potential

Get unlimited access to all 18 Data Exploration questions, detailed video solutions, and personalized progress tracking.

📹

Unlimited Video Solutions

Step-by-step explanations for every problem

📊

Progress Analytics

Track your mastery across all topics

🚫

Ad-Free Learning

Focus on math without distractions

No credit card required • Cancel anytime