AVERAGE, MIN & MAX in Google Sheets
These three work exactly like SUM. =AVERAGE(range) returns the mean, =MIN(range) the smallest value and =MAX(range) the largest. Together they give a quick summary of any column of scores, prices or times.
All three ignore text and blank cells, but they do count zeros. A blank score and a score of 0 give different averages, which matters when someone missed a test.
Syntax
=AVERAGE(range) · =MIN(range) · =MAX(range)
Example
=AVERAGE(B2:B9)
The average score; swap in MIN or MAX for the lowest or highest.
Common mistakes
- Typing 0 for "no data", which drags the average down.
- Averaging a column that includes a total row.
- Using MEDIAN when you want the mean, or the other way round.
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