How do you calculate the mean of a set of numbers?

To calculate the mean of a set of numbers, you need to find the sum of all the numbers in the set and then divide that total by the number of values in the set. This method gives you the average value, which represents a central tendency of the dataset.

For example, if you have the numbers 2, 4, and 6, you would first add them together to get 12. Since there are three numbers, you would then divide 12 by 3, resulting in a mean of 4. This process of summation followed by division is fundamental in statistical analysis as it provides a single value that summarizes the central point of a distribution of values.

The other choices do not correctly describe the process of calculating the mean, making the selection of the correct approach crucial for accurate statistical calculations.