Excel - AVERAGE Function



AVERAGE Function

The Excel AVERAGE function, a part of the statistical function and is first introduced in the Excel 2007. It retrieves the arithmetic mean of the different data points. Other variants of the AVERAGE function are AVERAGEA, AVERAGEIF, AVERAGEIFS in Excel. For examples: to determine the average sales production of a particular electronic item, to compute the average final-term grades of the students, to identify the average return on a financial bond at a given time period, and to fetch the average concentration of a substance in a sample of data.

Compatibility

This advanced Excel function is compatible with the following versions of MS-Excel −

  • Excel for Microsoft 365
  • Excel for Microsoft 365 for Mac
  • Excel for the web
  • Excel 2024
  • Excel 2024 for Mac
  • Excel 2021
  • Excel 2021 for Mac
  • Excel 2019
  • Excel 2016
  • Excel 2013
  • Excel 2010
  • Excel 2007

Syntax

The syntax of the AVERAGE function is as follows −

=AVERAGE(number1, [number2] ...)

Arguments

You can use the following arguments with the AVERAGE function −

Argument Description Required/Optional
Number1 It denotes the cell reference, first number, or range of cells upon which you may imply the AVERAGE function. Required
Number2, ... You might specify the other numbers up to 255, cell references, or range of cells are required to evaluate the average. Optional

Points to Remember

  • If you specify all the non-numeric values in the range of the cells, and then the AVERAGE function returns the #DIV/0! Error.
  • If you directly specify the non-numeric letters in the few cell reference arguments, the AVERAGE function will retrieve the #VALUE! error.
  • If the mixed set of data types is specified in the range of cells, then the Boolean values, text string, and blank cells are excluded. Apart from this, 0 values are included in this function.
  • If the field value contains the error, then the AVERAGE function will return the same error.

Examples of AVERAGE Function in Excel

Practice the following examples to get the master proficiency in the AVERAGE function in Excel.

Example 1: How to calculate the mean temperature of the seven days using the AVERAGE function

In the example given below, different cell ranges is selected for the AVERAGE Function. The result depends on the contents of the cells in the range.

Step 1 − First, the different temperature values from Monday to Sundays are given in the cell ranges C3:I3, C7:I7 and C11:I11. Enter the formula =AVERAGE(C3:I3) in J3 cell and hit Enter.

AVERAGE Function in Excel

Therefore, the AVERAGE function returns the arithmetic mean of the 24.57.

AVERAGE Function in Excel 1

Here, the cell value 0 is included in the AVERAGE function.

Step 2 − After that, select the cell J7 and type the formula =AVERAGE(C7:I7) and hit the Enter tab.

AVERAGE Function in Excel 2

Here, the blank cell shown in the D7 cell is not employed in the AVERAGE computation. Hence, the result is 28.67.

AVERAGE Function in Excel 3

Step 3 − Afterward, place the cursor on the J11, double-click on it and type the formula =AVERAGE(C11:I11). If the cell comprises the text string, then it is not excluded while computing the AVERAGE function.

AVERAGE Function in Excel 4

AVERAGE Function in Excel 5

Example 2

If you directly specify the non-numeric letters in the few cell reference arguments, the AVERAGE function will retrieve the #VALUE! error.

Solution

You may write the formula =AVERAGE("ed",12,"rt") in the B3 cell and press Enter.

AVERAGE Function in Excel 6

Therefore, the AVERAGE function yields an #VALUE! error as argument 1 and argument 3 contains the text value.

Download Practice Sheet

You can download and use the sample data sheet to practice the AVERAGE function.

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