An average is a number that represents a typical value in a set of data. It is calculated by adding all the values together and then dividing by the number of values. For example, if you have the numbers 2, 4, 6, the average would be (2 + 4 + 6) / 3 = 4. Averages help summarize data and make it easier to understand. There are different types of averages, including the mean, median, and mode. The mean is what most people refer to as the average. The median is the middle value when the numbers are arranged in order, while the mode is the number that appears most frequently. Each type of average provides different insights into the data.