Which function allows you to average numbers in Excel?

The AVERAGE function in Excel is designed specifically to calculate the arithmetic mean of a set of numbers. When you use this function, you can input a range of values, and Excel will compute their average by adding all the numbers together and then dividing that total by the count of the numbers provided.

This function is particularly useful in various scenarios, such as analyzing performance data, financial figures, or statistical information where understanding the central tendency of a group of numbers is essential. By using AVERAGE, you streamline your calculations and ensure accuracy, as it automatically handles the division after summing the numbers.

In contrast, while the SUM function adds up all the numbers in a range, it does not provide an average. The COUNT function merely counts the number of entries in a range, and the MID function is used for extracting a specific number of characters from a text string, which is unrelated to numerical averaging. Thus, AVERAGE is the correct choice for calculating the mean of a set of numbers in Excel.