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

Name:

Date:

Class:

Quick Questions

Shade in the A or B circle for each question.

1. A student asks: 'What is the total of all the Maths marks?' Which function fits?

A AVERAGE

B SUM

2. A student asks: 'How many students sat the Science test?' Which function fits?

A SUM

B COUNT

3. A student asks: 'What is the typical Max temperature this week?' Which function fits?

A AVERAGE

B MAX

4. A student asks: 'What was the lowest price in the shop?' Which function fits?

A MIN

B MAX

5. A student asks: 'What was the highest Rain amount this week?' Which function fits?

A MAX

B SUM

Match the Pairs

Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.

Left column		Right column
1=SUM(D2:D9)		AAnswers a question with the key word 'total', like the total number of items in stock
2=COUNT(B2:B9)		B'How many' asks for a count, but SUM adds up the marks instead of counting the students. Use =COUNT(B2:B9).
3The question asks what the typical Maths mark is, so use the function for 'typical'		CAnswers a question starting with 'how many', like how many students have a Maths mark
4The question asks which day had the highest temperature, so find the biggest value		D'Lowest' needs MIN, but MAX finds the highest price. Use =MIN(C2:C9).
5Question: How many students sat the test? =SUM(B2:B9)		E=MAX(B2:B8)
6Question: What is the lowest price? =MAX(C2:C9)		F=AVERAGE(B2:B9)

Definitions

SUM COUNT AVERAGE MIN MAX

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.

Question: What is the total Maths mark? =___(B2:B9)

Question: How many students sat Maths? =_____(B2:B9)

Question: What is the typical English mark? =_______(C2:C9)

Question: What is the lowest Science mark? =___(D2:D9)

Question: What is the highest Maths mark? =___(B2:B9)

Spot the Error

Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.

Question 1

A Total: =COUNT(B2:B9)

B Highest: =MAX(B2:B9)

C Lowest: =MIN(B2:B9)

Question 2

A Total rain: =SUM(D2:D8)

B Typical max: =AVERAGE(B2:B8)

C Highest rain: =MIN(D2:D8)

Question 3

A Cheapest: =MIN(C2:C9)

B How many: =AVERAGE(C2:C9)

C Dearest: =MAX(C2:C9)

Question 4

A Total: =SUM(C2:C9)

B Typical: =AVERAGE(C2:C9)

C Lowest: =MAX(C2:C9)

D Highest: =MAX(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)

Answer Key

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

Section A: Quick Questions

B — SUM

B — COUNT

A — AVERAGE

A — MIN

A — MAX

Section B: 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).

Section C: Definitions

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.

Section D: Fill in the Blanks

Question: What is the total Maths mark?
=SUM(B2:B9)

Question: How many students sat Maths?
=COUNT(B2:B9)

Question: What is the typical English mark?
=AVERAGE(C2:C9)

Question: What is the lowest Science mark?
=MIN(D2:D9)

Question: What is the highest Maths mark?
=MAX(B2:B9)

Section E: Spot the Error

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).

C — The key word 'highest' means the biggest value, so it needs MAX. MIN finds the lowest. It should be =MAX(D2:D8).

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).

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).

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).