The average symbol, or X-bar (X̅), is extensively used in statistics, mathematics, and science.
It represents the mean or average of a data set and is a fundamental concept in descriptive statistics and data analysis.
Inserting this Average X-bar symbol in Excel is a little tricky, but it can still be done.
In this article, I will show you some simple ways to insert the Average symbol in Excel.
Copy and Paste the Average Symbol into Excel
Personally, I think the easiest way to insert the average X-bar symbol (X̅) in Excel is to copy it from somewhere else and then paste it into a cell.
For example, below, I’ve provided the X bar symbol that you can copy and then paste into Excel:
X̅
Once you have this symbol in a cell in Excel, you can then continue to copy and paste it wherever you need it
Inserting Average (X-Bar) Symbol using the Symbol Dialog Box
Another way to insert the average symbol in Excel is by using the Symbol dialog box option.
Again, you can only insert the Combining Overline symbol using the symbol dialog box, and you have to manually enter the X in the cell so that it shows up as a bar over the X alphabet.
To insert the X-bar symbol in Excel using the Symbol Dialog Box, follow these steps:
- In a cell where you want to get the Average symbol (X-bar), enter an X
- Select this cell that has the X
- Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon.
- Click on Symbol in the Symbols group.
- In the Symbol dialog box, select (Arial) from the Font dropdown and ‘Combining Diacritical Marks’ from the Subset dropdown.
- Scroll down and select the Combining Overline character.
- Click Insert, then close the Symbol dialog box.
The above steps would give you the X-bar symbol in the cell.
In case you’re using any font other than Arial for the cell, you may see a slightly misaligned bar over the X alphabet. You can experiment with different fonts.
Also read: Insert Omega Symbol In Excel
Inserting Average Symbol using Formula
There isn’t a direct CHAR or UNICHAR formula in Excel to insert the
average symbol.
However, you can create it by combining an ‘X’ with a Unicode combining overline character using the below formula,
="X"&UNICHAR(773)
UNICHAR(773) gives us the combining overline symbol, but since we want it to be above the X alphabet, we need to combine this overline symbol with the alphabet X.
You can do the same thing with other alphabets as well. For example, if you want to get the overline symbol above the alphabet ‘M’, you can use the below formula:
="M"&UNICHAR(773)
Note: There is no keyboard shortcut to insert the average X-bar symbol in Excel (unlike many other symbols that have the ALT shortcuts)
Inserting Average Symbol (X-Bar) using Equation
- Go to the Insert tab on the Ribbon.
- Click on Equation in the Symbols group. This action will open a new tab for Equation Tools.
- In the Equation Tools, click on the ‘Accent’ option, which can be found in the Structures group.
- Select the Bar accent. This will insert the equation box in the worksheet and place a bar above the equation box.
- Click on the box under the bar and type X (to get the X-bar symbol).
This method gives you the average symbol as an object that is not a part of a cell (like a shape or chart). You can modify the font size and other formatting features just like you would with regular text.
Once you have the X-bar symbol, you can move or copy it to the desired location in your Excel sheet.
Remember, this symbol will be part of an equation object, which behaves differently from regular text in a cell. If you need this symbol frequently, you might consider creating it once and then copying and pasting it as needed in your worksheet.
Below is a table that summarizes all the methods to insert the Average symbol in Excel:
| Description | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of Symbol | Average (X-Bar) |
| Symbol Text | X̅ |
| Shortcut for Windows | No direct shortcut to insert X-bar symbol |
| Shortcut for Mac | No direct shortcut to insert the X-bar symbol |
| Inserting using Symbol Dialog Box | Insert ‘X’, then ‘Combining Overline’ (UNICHAR 773) symbol from the Symbol dialog box after it |
| Inserting using Formula | =”X”&UNICHAR(773) |
So, these are some of the methods you can use to insert the Average/Mean X-bar symbol in Excel.
In case you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below
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