Average is also a predefined mathematical function in MS-EXCEL.
Average is the value derived on adding all the values divided by the total number of values. In our case, it is addition of values within the cells by the total number of cells.
Let us demonstrate the use of "Average" function in a simple example. For this, we need a new spreadsheet to work on. Open MS-Excel and select blank worksheet.
As you can see, there are various columns named A,B,C,D.. And various rows numbered 1,2,3..
To call or refer a particular cell, we use its cell reference value which is the combination of the "column-name and its row-number".
For instance, if I want to refer to this cell, we call it as "B3". Likewise this particular cell is called "E4".
1. For our example, let us perform the average of marks of 5 students in a class. In this example, consider the problem statements-student names under column A and the corresponding values-marks under column B.
The average of the students is to be displayed in cell B7.
Now to typically type them and then again divide the entire value becomes very complicated and hence we use the predefined function Average.
The value of whom the average is to be determined is to be placed within the round brackets and the syntax of the function is Average(value).
So now coming back to our example, click cell B7 and type "=" indicating that it is a formula and type in the predefined function "Average". Open the round bracket and enter the first cell reference value, in our case B2, then place a comma operator "," and then type in the next cell reference value and so on. Once you have entered the cell reference values of whom the average is to be determined, close the round bracket ")". And press Enter. The Average is calculated and the result is displayed in the cell B7.
Or we can simple define formula as "=Average(B2:B6). The use of "is-to" operator means that all the rows from B2 to B6 are included.
If we want to determine the value of the average of the student marks and some numeric value ,say 150, the syntax in cell B7 is "=Average(B2:B6,150)".
The formula calculates the average of all the cell values from B2 to B6 and also includes the value "150".
Similarly, if we want to calculate the average of some particular cells, the cell reference values can be stated within the Average formula separated by using the comma operator.For instance, in the same example, to calculate the average of 3 students- A1, A3 and A5, we can simply state the formula as "=Average(B1,B3,B5)".
An important point to be noted is that average can be carried out on only numeric values defined within the cell and not on any sort of Textual matter and it ignores any blank cells.
These are some of the simple tricks in carrying out mathematical functions in Ms-Excel.
