Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Question about the average of 3 or more numbers...?

Whenever I need to find the average of 2 numbers quickly I find the middle number in my head by adding a certain amount to the small number and subtracting the same amount from the large number. I do this until both numbers equal each other and this is the average. Not sure how this sounds in writing but it makes sense in my head. It's quicker than adding the two numbers together and dividing by 2 (for me).

For obvious reasons you can't do this when computing the average of more than 2 numbers.

Anybody know of a way to average 3 numbers in your head (without calculator).

And don't just say add them together and divide by three, I know that.

Also don't suggest expected value. That's harder than the traditional way of computing an average.

I don't think there is a simpler way, but if you have a strategy that works I'd love to hear it.

Update:

I could average 12 numbers in my head if I had to, it's just a tedious process.

I also said not to suggest this method in the question buddy,

Don't insult my intelligence.

Update 2:

@ProfRay: I could average 12 numbers in my head if I had to, it's just a tedious process.

I also said not to suggest this method in the question buddy,

Don't insult my intelligence.

Update 3:

Wow, gettin a lot of hate here, was just curious about it.

1 Answer

Relevance
  • ?
    Lv 7
    8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    This is grade school math.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.