How is the sample arithmetic mean calculated for the six pulse-rate data points 71, 83, 67, 74, 70, 79?

Conditions

• The sample data consists of the values 71, 83, 67, 74, 70, and 79.
• The sample size is $n=6$.

Reasoning, step by step

1. Sum all the sample observations: $71 + 83 + 67 + 74 + 70 + 79 = 444$.
2. Divide the total sum by the sample size $n=6$.
3. Calculate the final mean: $\bar{x} = \frac{444}{6} = 74$.

Example

The screen displays "Arithmetic mean is x̄ = ($71+83+67+74+70+79$)/6 = 74".

Common misconceptions

• Dividing by the total population size (40) instead of the sample size (6).
• Making arithmetic errors when summing the six data points.

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Connected concepts

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• Why is the sample mean necessary for calculating the sample variance?
• How is the sample variance calculated for this dataset?
• What is the difference between sample and population variance?