Which statement correctly explains AVERAGE() and SUM()?

Which statement correctly explains AVERAGE() and SUM()?

• A. AVERAGE() computes the mean; SUM() computes a total.
• B. AVERAGE() counts numeric entries; SUM() computes the mean.
• C. AVERAGE() and SUM() both count entries.
• D. AVERAGE() returns the maximum value.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is understanding what each function does: AVERAGE() returns the arithmetic mean, while SUM() returns the total of all values. The mean is calculated by adding up all numbers and dividing by how many numbers there are, so an example with values 2, 4, and 6 would give a sum of 12 and an average of 4 (12 divided by 3). This distinction is key in data analysis—SUM aggregates to a total across observations, whereas AVERAGE provides a single representative value that describes the center of the data. The other statements misstate the functions: AVERAGE() does not count entries, SUM() does not compute the mean, and AVERAGE() does not return a maximum value.

The main idea is understanding what each function does: AVERAGE() returns the arithmetic mean, while SUM() returns the total of all values. The mean is calculated by adding up all numbers and dividing by how many numbers there are, so an example with values 2, 4, and 6 would give a sum of 12 and an average of 4 (12 divided by 3). This distinction is key in data analysis—SUM aggregates to a total across observations, whereas AVERAGE provides a single representative value that describes the center of the data. The other statements misstate the functions: AVERAGE() does not count entries, SUM() does not compute the mean, and AVERAGE() does not return a maximum value.