Have you ever seen a sign that says Average prize: $1,000! but almost nobody actually won that much?
That can happen because there are two kinds of "average": the mean and the median.
Today you will become a number detective and learn when one of them is tricking you. Let's go! 👉
The mean is the "fair share" average. You add up everything, then split it equally between everyone.
3 friends have these sweets:
2 + 4 + 6 = 12 sweets, shared by 3 friends.
Try it: What is 12 shared equally among 3 friends?
The median is different. You line everyone up smallest to biggest, then point to the one standing right in the middle.
Drag the number cards into order. The middle box will glow — that number is the median!
Numbers to sort: 7, 3, 5
Smallest → Biggest. Drop a card on each box.
Look at how much money 5 children have. Four are normal... but one is super rich!
Tap each box to reveal its average. Which one feels "fair"?
The mean says $20, but nobody really has near $20! The one giant number ($85) pulled the mean up. That is a fake-looking average.
The mean gets dragged toward giant numbers. The median stays calm in the middle. Slide the rich kid's money and watch!
Rich kid has: $5
Drag the slider to make one kid richer →
An advert shouts: Average worker earns $9,000 a month!
But the real pay of the 5 workers is:
The boss earns a HUGE $35k. Most workers earn about $2k–$3k.
Which "average" did the advert use to look impressive?
Read each story. Tap the average that gives a fair, true picture.
Story 1 of 3
Now you can spot a fake average. Here's your detective badge of knowledge:
Next time you see "average," ask: "Is one giant number tricking me?" 🕵️ Well done!