Shortcut Tricks for Average
  1. Quick Mental Math Techniques A. Choosing a Base Value for Faster Calculation Instead of summing all numbers directly, choose a base value close to the average and find deviations from it. Example:  Find the average of  48, 52, 46, 54, and 50 . Shortcut Trick:  Choose  50  as a base value because it is near most numbers. Now, calculate the deviations: 48 → -2 ,  52 → +2 ,  46 → -4 ,  54 → +4 ,  50 → 0 Total deviation =  (-2 + 2 - 4 + 4 + 0) = 0 New sum =  50 × 5 + 0 = 250 Average = 250 ÷ 5 = 50 ✅ Answer:  50  (calculated quickly without full addition). 2. Using the Difference Method for Faster Calculations This method is useful when numbers are close to a particular reference point. Example:  Find the average of  98, 102, 104, 96, and 100 . Shortcut Trick:  Choose  100  as the reference point. 98 → -2 ,  102 → +2 ,  104 → +4 ,  96 → -4 ,  100 → 0 Total deviation = ...