=AVERAGE(value, value…)

The spelling and argument order are taken from Apple’s AVERAGE function documentation. Do not infer undocumented arguments or a historical first-supported app version from this page.

In the English/comma-decimal examples, multiple function arguments use a comma. Apple says that when the decimal separator is set to comma, typed function arguments should instead be separated with a semicolon. A range such as B2:B6 uses a colon, not an argument separator. In Numbers a spreadsheet can contain multiple tables on one sheet. All worked examples here put the formula in the same table as the source data and use simple references such as B2. When moving the result to a different table, select source cells using the formula editor and accept the table-qualified reference Numbers generates. Excel worksheet references are not a drop-in replacement.

1. Create a Numbers table named Deliveries with at least six rows. Type Order in A1 and Minutes in B1. Enter the exact numbers, not strings with a unit suffix.
2. In the same table, put the following records into rows 2–6. Place the formula in an empty result cell such as D2, not inside B2:B6.

=AVERAGE(B2:B6)

Independently calculated expected result: 57 minutes. The values add to 285, and there are five numeric observations: 285 ÷ 5 = 57. This is not an observed Numbers run. The unusually slow fifth delivery increases the mean considerably.

Adding a further observation directly

=AVERAGE(B2:B6,40)

Expected result: 54.166666…, because (285 + 40) ÷ 6 = 325 ÷ 6. The displayed decimal precision depends on the result cell’s format. If the new observation should be tracked over time, add it in B7 and use =AVERAGE(B2:B7) rather than hard-coding the value inside a formula.

=AVERAGE(B2:B6)-MEDIAN(B2:B6)

Independently calculated expected result: 32 minutes. The five observations, when sorted, have a median of 25, so 57 − 25 = 32. A dashboard can display both measures: AVERAGE tells you about the overall arithmetic mean, while MEDIAN gives the middle of the ranked sample. A large gap invites investigation; it does not establish why a delivery was delayed.

Another useful check is =AVERAGE(B2:B6) alongside =MAX(B2:B6): expected values are 57 and 200. For a category-filtered mean use AVERAGEIF, which is a separate function requiring its own argument order—not a setting inside AVERAGE.

• Text and Boolean values in referenced cells are ignored. Apple’s AVERAGE reference explicitly states that behavior. If B4 were the text pending instead of the number 25, the arithmetic mean of the remaining four numbers would be 260 ÷ 4 = 65 (an independently reasoned what-if, not native output).
• Text resembling a number is not guaranteed to be numeric. Check imported cell types before averaging; a column that looks complete can produce an incorrect denominator because text entries were ignored.
• Dates, times and durations are supported only as compatible value types. Apple describes AVERAGE as accepting number, date/time and duration values, all of the same type. This tutorial deliberately uses plain numeric minutes. Do not mix native durations with numeric minutes and assume automatic conversion.
• A mean is not a median or a conditional average. AVERAGE uses every eligible observation; MEDIAN and AVERAGEIF have different purposes.
• No numbers after exclusions: there is no valid numerical arithmetic mean of an empty set. The exact formula-error presentation for an entirely empty or excluded selection was not tested; review the error in your Numbers version rather than assuming a particular Excel error label.
• Fixed ranges can miss new entries. If you append B7 but leave the formula at B2:B6, its selected source range still ends at row 6 unless the editor adjusts it. Inspect what Numbers actually selects.

If you expected 57 and see something different, first verify the five cells B2:B6 contain numbers and no additional subtotal or header cell was included. Compare =SUM(B2:B6) (expected 285) and =COUNT(B2:B6) (expected 5 for this exact all-numeric dataset) before dividing the two. If the count is lower, investigate imported text or blanks. If the count is five but the sum differs, inspect the numeric entries and the referenced table. Avoid counting the result cell itself.

When a formula is placed in another table, click the source cells from the formula editor so Numbers can insert the correct table-qualified reference, rather than pasting an Excel-style Sheet1!B2:B6 reference. An editor-produced reference can include the table’s name such as Deliveries::B2:B6; the exact token should be selected in the app rather than assumed for every layout.

Excel and Google Sheets also have an AVERAGE function for arithmetic means. This example’s numeric dataset and mathematics transfer conceptually, but Apple explicitly documents additional date/time and duration value types. Do not assume Apple’s date/duration coercion, formula-reference conventions or imported text handling matches another product without checking that product’s documentation. For cross-table formulas, Numbers’ table-qualified references are not the same as Excel worksheet references.

• COUNTIF
• SUMIFS

For additional functions, browse the Apple Numbers function directory to find currently available guides.

• Apple Numbers — function documentation
• Apple — Functions overview
• Apple — Formulas and Functions Help
• Apple — Refer to cells in formulas

Verification status: Official documentation checked; example outcomes were independently reasoned or arithmetically checked where applicable. Not executed in Apple Numbers.

• No genuine Apple Numbers screenshots are included; this guide does not use mock application images.