The Geometric Mean is a type of average that is calculated by multiplying a set of numbers together and then taking the nth root, where n is the total number of values. It is particularly useful for sets of positive numbers and is often used in fields like finance and environmental studies to analyze growth rates or ratios. Unlike the Arithmetic Mean, which simply adds numbers and divides by the count, the Geometric Mean gives a better measure of central tendency for data that is multiplicative or varies exponentially. For example, it is commonly used to calculate average rates of return in investments, where percentages are involved.