What is the average (mean)?

The average, or mean, is calculated by taking the sum of a group of numbers and dividing it by the total number of units in that group. This method provides a single value that represents the dataset, giving insight into the central tendency of the numbers involved. It is widely used in various fields such as statistics, finance, and everyday calculations to summarize information effectively.

The other options highlight different statistical concepts. For example, identifying the highest value belongs to the concept of the maximum, while the middle value in an ordered dataset refers to the median. Lastly, the lowest value represents the minimum. These concepts, while important in their rights, do not align with the definition of average.