← ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

Choosing SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE, MIN or MAX for a question

Match the key words in a question to a function: total is SUM, how many is COUNT, typical is AVERAGE, lowest is MIN, highest is MAX.

Part of: ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8 — Analysing and Visualising Data — Module 17

Understanding Choosing SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE, MIN or MAX for a question in ACARA Digital Technologies Years 7–8

What it does: 'Typical' means the average value, so AVERAGE is the right function. 'Highest' is the key word for MAX. In the weather sheet the Max temperatures are in B2:B8. 'How many' means counting the entries, so use COUNT. SUM would add the marks together, which tells you how much, not how many. 'Lowest' means the smallest value, so use MIN. MAX finds the biggest value. 'Highest' matches MAX. MIN would return the lowest Maths mark, which is 49. The key word 'total' tells you to add everything up, so you use SUM. MAX and MIN are opposites. The key word 'lowest' points to MIN, so the answer is =MIN(C2:C9).

Common mistakes: The key word 'total' means add the values up, so it needs SUM. COUNT only says how many cells have numbers. It should be =SUM(B2:B9). The key word 'highest' means the biggest value, so it needs MAX. MIN finds the lowest. It should be =MAX(D2:D8).

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 261–300) and word search (Modules 261–324).

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Learning
Duo
A student asks: 'What is the total of all the Maths marks?' Which function fits?
SUMAVERAGE
Matches
Question: How many students sat the test? =SUM(B2:B9)
↓
'How many' asks for a count, but SUM adds up the marks instead of counting the students. Use =COUNT(B2:B9).
Applying
Meanings
Term
SUM COUNT AVERAGE MIN MAX
Meaning
Match the key words in a question to a function: total is SUM, how many is COUNT, typical is AVERAGE, lowest is MIN, highest is MAX.
Practice
=AVERAGE(B2:B8)
Testing
Gaps
=(B2:B9)
Check Answer
Spots
1Total: =COUNT(B2:B9)
2Highest: =MAX(B2:B9)

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Quick Questions

1. A student asks: 'What is the total of all the Maths marks?' Which function fits?
A. AVERAGE
B. SUM ✓
The key word 'total' means add everything up, so use SUM. AVERAGE would give a typical mark instead.
2. A student asks: 'How many students sat the Science test?' Which function fits?
A. SUM
B. COUNT ✓
'How many' means counting the entries, so use COUNT. SUM would add the marks together, which tells you how much, not how many.
3. A student asks: 'What is the typical Max temperature this week?' Which function fits?
A. AVERAGE ✓
B. MAX
'Typical' points to the middle or usual value, so use AVERAGE. MAX only finds the single hottest day.
4. A student asks: 'What was the lowest price in the shop?' Which function fits?
A. MIN ✓
B. MAX
'Lowest' means the smallest value, so use MIN. MAX finds the biggest value.
5. A student asks: 'What was the highest Rain amount this week?' Which function fits?
A. MAX ✓
B. SUM
'Highest' means the biggest value, so use MAX. SUM would give the total rain for the week, not the single wettest day.

Match the Pairs

=SUM(D2:D9) → Answers a question with the key word 'total', like the total number of items in stock
=COUNT(B2:B9) → Answers a question starting with 'how many', like how many students have a Maths mark
The question asks what the typical Maths mark is, so use the function for 'typical' → =AVERAGE(B2:B9)
The question asks which day had the highest temperature, so find the biggest value → =MAX(B2:B8)
Question: How many students sat the test? =SUM(B2:B9) → 'How many' asks for a count, but SUM adds up the marks instead of counting the students. Use =COUNT(B2:B9).
Question: What is the lowest price? =MAX(C2:C9) → 'Lowest' needs MIN, but MAX finds the highest price. Use =MIN(C2:C9).

Key Term

SUM COUNT AVERAGE MIN MAX
Match the key words in a question to a function: total is SUM, how many is COUNT, typical is AVERAGE, lowest is MIN, highest is MAX.

Fill in the Blanks

1. Question: What is the total Maths mark? =SUM(B2:B9)
Hint: The key word is total. Type the function that adds all the values together.
2. Question: How many students sat Maths? =COUNT(B2:B9)
Hint: The key words are how many. Type the function that counts cells holding numbers.
3. Question: What is the typical English mark? =AVERAGE(C2:C9)
Hint: The key word is typical. Type the function that finds the mean of a range.
4. Question: What is the lowest Science mark? =MIN(D2:D9)
Hint: The key word is lowest. Type the function that returns the smallest value.
5. Question: What is the highest Maths mark? =MAX(B2:B9)
Hint: The key word is highest. Type the function that returns the largest value.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A Total: =COUNT(B2:B9)
B Highest: =MAX(B2:B9)
C Lowest: =MIN(B2:B9)
Line A — The key word 'total' means add the values up, so it needs SUM. COUNT only says how many cells have numbers. It should be =SUM(B2:B9).
Question 2
A Total rain: =SUM(D2:D8)
B Typical max: =AVERAGE(B2:B8)
C Highest rain: =MIN(D2:D8)
Line C — The key word 'highest' means the biggest value, so it needs MAX. MIN finds the lowest. It should be =MAX(D2:D8).
Question 3
A Cheapest: =MIN(C2:C9)
B How many: =AVERAGE(C2:C9)
C Dearest: =MAX(C2:C9)
Line B — 'How many' asks for a count of items, so it needs COUNT. AVERAGE gives the typical price, not the number of items. It should be =COUNT(C2:C9).
Question 4
A Total: =SUM(C2:C9)
B Typical: =AVERAGE(C2:C9)
C Lowest: =MAX(C2:C9)
D Highest: =MAX(C2:C9)
Line C — The key word 'lowest' means the smallest value, so it needs MIN. MAX would give the highest English mark. It should be =MIN(C2:C9).
Question 5
A Total: =SUM(D2:D9)
B How many: =COUNT(D2:D9)
C Lowest: =MIN(D2:D9)
D Typical: =SUM(D2:D9)
E Highest: =MAX(D2:D9)
Line D — The key word 'typical' means a middle or usual value, so it needs AVERAGE. SUM gives the total, which is much bigger than a typical mark. It should be =AVERAGE(D2:D9).

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