How to Check If Sum of Averages Equals Average of Sums in WPS Office Excel
Question details
The user asks whether the sum of averages is equal to the average of sums in Excel and needs to understand when the two calculations match or differ.
- Product
- WPS Office Spreadsheets
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- The user is comparing aggregate calculations, such as row-level averages and summed averages, and needs to choose the correct formula for business data.
- Observed behavior
- The two calculations generally produce different results; they match only when the averages use the same divisor or the underlying values are equal.
Prepare a sample worksheet with at least two rows of values and their individual averages. Identify whether each average uses the same divisor or subgroup size before comparing totals.
Verify with WPS Office Excel Formulas Whether Sum of Averages Equals Average of Sums
Use this method when you need to check an existing workbook and see exactly where the two calculations match or diverge.
The sum of averages is not generally equal to the average of sums because averages with different group sizes or different underlying values carry different weights. They match only when all averaged groups use the same divisor or when the underlying values are equal.
Open the file in WPS Office Spreadsheets, then click the cell that contains an average such as F2.
Click a blank cell, type =SUM(F2:F3), and press Enter to calculate the sum of the average cells.
Click another blank cell, type =AVERAGE(B2:D3), and press Enter to calculate the average of the underlying values.
Compare the two results. If they are equal, each source average uses the same divisor or the underlying values are equal; if not, use the formula that matches your business meaning.
Choose the Correct Aggregate When Costs or Group Sizes Differ
Use this method when row costs or group sizes differ and the business result requires totaling individual calculated results rather than averaging averages.
Calculate and Compare Sum of Averages vs Average of Sums in WPS Office Spreadsheets
Open your workbook in WPS Office Spreadsheets and use standard Excel-compatible formulas to compute row-level averages, total them with =SUM, and compare against =AVERAGE or =SUM/COUNT over the underlying data range.
- 1. Install and open WPS Office: Download WPS Office from the official website, install it, and open your Excel workbook in WPS Office Spreadsheets.
- 2. Calculate row averages: Click the cell where the row average should appear, type =AVERAGE(B2:D2), and press Enter; fill the formula down for all rows.
- 3. Sum the averages: Click a blank cell, type =SUM(F2:F3), and press Enter to get the sum of averages.
- 4. Calculate the average of sums: In another blank cell, type =AVERAGE(B2:D3) or =SUM(B2:D3)/COUNT(B2:D3) to calculate the average of all underlying values, then compare the results.
- 5. Save the workbook: Save the file as .xlsx if needed; the formulas remain compatible with Microsoft Excel.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can the sum of averages equal the average of sums in Excel?
They can match when all averages use the same divisor or when the underlying values are equal. For example, =SUM(F2:F3) can match =AVERAGE(B2:D3) if F2 and F3 are based on the same number of values and those values are equal.
Which formula should I use if my Excel averages are based on different group sizes?
Calculate each row average first and then sum those results with =SUM(F2:F3). Do not average the averages, because that gives equal weight to groups of different sizes.
How do I check the original formulas in WPS Office Excel?
Select the cell and look in the Formula Bar at the top of the WPS Office Spreadsheets window, or press Ctrl+~ to display all formulas in the worksheet.
Is the average of sums the same as the overall average?
Not automatically. The average of sums may divide by the number of summed rows, while the overall average should divide the total of all values by the count of all values. Use =AVERAGE(value_range) for the overall average.
Can WPS Office open and recalculate these Excel formulas?
Yes. WPS Office Spreadsheets supports Microsoft Excel .xlsx files and standard functions such as SUM, AVERAGE, and COUNT, so formulas recalculate without conversion.
