How to use the AVERAGE function in Google Sheets to calculate the average of a row of data?

Conditions

• The target cell must first have the equals sign entered to enter formula mode.
• The arguments for AVERAGE can be numbers, cell references, or cell ranges.
• The range connects the top-left and bottom-right cells with a colon.
• The function ignores text and only averages numeric data.

Reasoning, step by step

1. Enter the equals sign (=) in the target cell (e.g., N2).
2. Type the function name AVERAGE.
3. Open a parenthesis and select the start cell of the data range (e.g., B2).
4. Type a colon (:) to define the range.
5. Select the end cell of the data range (e.g., M2).
6. Close the parenthesis and press Enter to execute the formula.

Example

In the video, the formula =AVERAGE(B2:M2) is entered in cell N2 to calculate the average temperature for Taipei from January to December, resulting in 23.48.

Common misconceptions

• Forgetting to enter the equals sign first, which prevents the spreadsheet from recognizing the input as a formula.
• Using a semicolon instead of a colon to separate the start and end cells of a continuous range.

Watch the explanation

Explore next

• What does the colon in B2:M2 represent in the formula?
• How does the AVERAGE function handle text data?
• Why don't Kaohsiung and Hsinchu need to re-enter the formula after dragging the N2 formula down?