Engineering English
Mean
Industrial Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The arithmetic average of a set of data points, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the number of values. It serves as a measure of central tendency in statistical process control.
Example in context
“The mean tensile strength of the sample was 450 MPa, indicating acceptable process performance for the steel batch.”
“Numunenin ortalama çekme dayanımı 450 MPa idi, bu çelik partisi için kabul edilebilir proses performansını gösteriyor.”
Where engineers use it
The mean is used in control charts to center the process, in capability analysis to compare with specification limits, and in hypothesis testing to assess shifts. Engineers rely on it to detect process changes and maintain quality.
Synonyms: average, arithmetic mean
Antonyms: median
Practice: can you use “Mean” at work?
You are analyzing a production line's output weights. The target is 100 g. You have 30 samples. Calculate the mean to check if the process is centered.
Show a model answer
“Starting a DMAIC project, I first calculated the mean of the cycle times to establish the baseline.”
“Mean” in 21 languages
| English | Mean |
|---|---|
| Turkish | ortalama |
| French | moyenne |
| German | Mittelwert |
| Spanish | media |
| Chinese | 均值 |
| Arabic | المتوسط |
| Portuguese | média |
| Russian | среднее |
| Japanese | 平均 |
| Italian | media |
| Vietnamese | trung bình |
| Hindi | माध्य |
| Thai | ค่าเฉลี่ย |
| Indonesian | rata-rata |
| Korean | 평균 |
| Bengali | গড় |
| Dutch | gemiddelde |
| Swedish | medelvärde |
| Finnish | keskiarvo |
| Ukrainian | середнє |
Frequently asked questions
What does Mean mean in engineering?
The arithmetic average of a set of data points, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the number of values. It serves as a measure of central tendency in statistical process control. In Industrial Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Mean?
Mean is pronounced /miːn/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Mean used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The mean tensile strength of the sample was 450 MPa, indicating acceptable process performance for the steel batch.”
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