1. What is Weighted Average?

A weighted average is an average where some values contribute more than others based on assigned weights. Unlike a regular average where all values are equally weighted, a weighted average accounts for the relative importance of each value.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the weighted average formula:

Where:

• value — The individual values to be averaged
• weight — The relative importance of each value
• ∑ — Summation of all items

Explanation: Each value is multiplied by its weight, these products are summed, then divided by the sum of all weights.

3. When to Use Weighted Average

Common Applications: Grade point averages (GPA), financial analysis, inventory valuation, survey analysis, and any situation where some data points are more significant than others.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter values and corresponding weights as comma-separated lists. Both lists must have the same number of items. Weights don't need to sum to 1 (they're normalized automatically).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between average and weighted average?
A: Regular average treats all values equally, while weighted average gives more importance to some values based on their weights.

Q2: Can weights be zero or negative?
A: Weights should generally be positive numbers. Zero weight means the value doesn't contribute, and negative weights can produce counterintuitive results.

Q3: What if my weights sum to 1?
A: The calculator works with any positive weights. If weights sum to 1, the calculation simplifies to just the sum of (value × weight).

Q4: How many values can I enter?
A: You can enter as many values as needed, as long as you provide a matching weight for each value.

Q5: What's an example use case?
A: Calculating course grades where exams are 60% of grade, homework 30%, and participation 10%. The weights would be 0.6, 0.3, and 0.1 respectively.