Averages can mislead, since the mean, median, and mode answer three slightly different questions about the same data.

The longer version

Mean, median, and mode each answer a different question. The mean divides the total by the count, the median marks the middle value once everything is sorted, and the mode names the most frequent value. In a symmetric set they agree; when a few entries sit far from the rest they separate sharply.

Household income is the standard illustration: a handful of very large incomes lifts the mean while leaving the median almost untouched, so the typical household looks richer on paper than it is. Choosing between them is a decision about which question matters. Reporting a single figure without saying which one it is invites confusion.

Where this entry sits

This section collects odd corners of mathematics, from stubborn prime numbers to counting systems older than modern schools. Expect famous constants, probability puzzles, shapes that break everyday intuition, and numbers far too large to picture. The full list sits on the Numbers and Math page, where every entry is listed in order.