The weighted mean is a type of average that takes into account the relative importance of each value in a dataset. Unlike a simple mean, where all values contribute equally, the weighted mean assigns different weights to different values based on their significance. This is useful in situations where some data points are more relevant than others, such as in calculating grades where assignments may have different impacts on the final score. To calculate the weighted mean, multiply each value by its corresponding weight, sum these products, and then divide by the total of the weights. For example, if you have scores from assignments and exams with different weights, the weighted mean provides a more accurate representation of overall performance.