All the data points added up ÷ Number of data points

So if your data is:
1
2
3
4
5

The mean is (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5)/5 =
15/5 =
3

The value in the middle of your data set

So if your data, from lowest to highest is:
1
2
3
4
5

The median is the data value in the middle, which is 3. If the length of the data set is an even number, then the median is the mean between the two in the middle.

So if your data, from lowest to highest is:
1
2
3
4

The median is the mean of 2 and 3, which is 2.5.

(Part ÷ Whole) X 100

Part ÷ Whole X 100 = Percentage

New - Old

New - Old = Change

((New - Old) ÷ Old) X 100

(New - Old) ÷ Old = % change

Total amount ÷ Total population

Amount ÷ Population = Per capita

(Total amount ÷ Total population) X 10,000

Amount ÷ Population X 10,000 = Per 10,000

Often as journalists, we need to take abstract figures and compare them to something more concrete, like "the forest fire consumed 25 square miles, an area the size of Salina, Kansas." It can be hard to come up with those comparisons, though. So type in your number below, and we will give you some ideas.

Value