Step 2: Calculate the mean (average) of the data set. Add all the numbers together: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15.
Step 3: Divide the total by the number of values in the data set. There are 5 numbers, so: 15 / 5 = 3. This is the mean.
Step 4: Find the absolute deviation for each number. This means subtracting the mean from each number and taking the absolute value: |1-3|, |2-3|, |3-3|, |4-3|, |5-3|.