Average Calculator: How to Calculate an Average?

Averages play a role in many aspects of daily life—whether you're tracking your daily commute, reviewing your power bill, or checking the batting average of your favourite Black Caps player. Understanding how to calculate an average is a valuable skill for students, professionals, and anyone working with numbers.

This guide covers everything from simple averages to weighted and moving averages, including how to calculate them in Excel. Plus, if you need quick results, our online average calculator does the work for you—no maths required!

How to Calculate an Average?

Averages help you monitor trends, manage expenses, and make informed decisions.

To calculate the mean average, like the average of three numbers, use this formula:

Average = Sum of all values ÷ Number of values

Calculating Your Daily Commute Time

Let’s say you take the Auckland train to work every morning. Some days it's on time, while other days there are delays. Over the past five days, your commute times were 45, 50, 42, 48, and 55 minutes.

(45 + 50 + 42 + 48 + 55) ÷ 5 = 240 ÷ 5 = 48

So, your average daily commute takes 48 minutes.

How to Calculate a Weighted Average?

A weighted average gives more importance to certain values. It's commonly used for university grades, mortgage interest rates, and financial calculations.

The formula is:

Weighted Average = (Value 1 × Weight 1 + Value 2 × Weight 2 + ...) ÷ (Sum of Weights)

How to calculate grade average?

You’re applying to the University of Auckland, and your final grade is based on internal assessments (40%) and final exams (60%).

• Internal assessment score = 85%
• Final exam score = 75%

((85 × 0.4) + (75 × 0.6)) ÷ 1 = (34 + 45) ÷ 1 = 79

So, your final grade is 79%, with the exam carrying more weight.

How to Calculate a Moving Average?

Moving averages help track trends over time—whether you're managing a small business, analysing stock prices, or monitoring temperature changes in Wellington.

Small Business Sales Trends

You own a coffee shop in Christchurch and want to track your weekly sales trends. Your earnings for the last five weeks are:

• Week 1: $3,000
• Week 2: $3,200
• Week 3: $3,100
• Week 4: $3,300
• Week 5: $3,500

To calculate a 3-week moving average:

1st average: (3,000 + 3,200 + 3,100) ÷ 3 = $3,100
2nd average: (3,200 + 3,100 + 3,300) ÷ 3 = $3,200
3rd average: (3,100 + 3,300 + 3,500) ÷ 3 = $3,300

This smooths out fluctuations and helps you predict peak sales periods.

How to Calculate Average Speed?

Average speed is useful for commuters, runners, and drivers.

Average Speed = Distance Travelled ÷ Time Taken

Driving from Auckland to Rotorua

You're driving 230 km to Rotorua and want to check your average speed. If you complete the journey in 3.5 hours:

230 ÷ 3.5 = 65.7

So, your average speed was 65.7 km/h.

Batting Average Calculator: How to Calculate Batting Average?

For cricket fans, here’s how you calculate a batting average:

Batting Average = Total Runs Scored ÷ Total Number of Times Out

Club Cricket Batting Average

You score 600 runs in a local T20 tournament and get out 12 times.

600 ÷ 12 = 50.00

Your batting average is 50.00—not bad!

How to Calculate an Average in Excel?

Need a quick way to find an average in Excel? Follow these steps:

• Enter your data into a column.
• Click on an empty cell and type:=AVERAGE(A1:A5)(assuming your values are in cells A1 to A5)
• Press Enter, and Excel will display the result.

How to Calculate an Average Stock Price?

If you invest in the New Zealand stock market (NZX), knowing your average stock price is useful.

Investing in Air New Zealand Shares

You buy:

• 10 shares at $1.50 each ($15 total)
• 5 more shares at $1.80 each ($9 total)

Average Stock Price = (Total Cost of Shares) ÷ (Total Number of Shares)

((10 × 1.50) + (5 × 1.80)) ÷ (10 + 5) = (15 + 9) ÷ 15 = $1.60 per share

How to Calculate Your Average Weight?

Your weight naturally fluctuates. To track progress, use this formula:

Average Weight = Total Recorded Weights ÷ Number of Measurements

Monthly Weight Tracking:

You weigh yourself weekly for a month:

(78 + 77.5 + 76.8 + 76.2) ÷ 4 = 77.1

So, your average weight over the month is 77.1 kg.

How to Calculate Fuel Efficiency (Petrol Average)?

For car owners, knowing your fuel efficiency helps with budgeting and maintenance.

Mileage (km per litre) = Total Distance Travelled ÷ Total Fuel Consumed

Road Trip from Wellington to Taupō

You drive 350 km and use 25 litres of petrol.

350 ÷ 25 = 14

So, your car’s average fuel efficiency is 14 km per litre.

Tips to Improve Fuel Efficiency

• Maintain correct tyre pressure to reduce resistance.
• Avoid sudden acceleration and braking.
• Get regular servicing to keep your engine running smoothly.
• Drive at optimal speeds (90-100 km/h) for the best mileage.

Averages are useful in many areas of daily life, from budgeting and fitness tracking to cricket stats and stock investments. Now that you know how to calculate them, try using our online average calculator for quick results!

Nishadh Mohammed

Nishadh Mohammed is a seasoned news editor and financial writer, working with HelloSafe since May 2023. Nishadh has developed expertise in financial markets, insurance, and investment products, with a deep understanding of the Canadian financial landscape. He has honed his SEO skills and content marketing strategies while writing for Canadian publishing houses. Armed with a master's in Business Analytics and extensive journalistic experience, Nishadh uniquely combines data proficiency and thorough research to deliver comprehensive and accessible information.