Understand the subject
What is a target average?
A target average works backward from the result you want. Instead of averaging completed values, it finds the total still needed to finish at a chosen mean.
The relationship
The defining relationship
remaining total = required total − known sum
The final count includes known and remaining values. If every remaining value will be equal, divide the remaining total by their count.
See the idea
Turn the desired average into a total
Worked example
Two scores still needed to average 80
70 + 80 + 75 = 225. To average 80 across five scores, the final total must be 80 × 5 = 400. The two remaining scores must total 175, or 87.5 each if they are equal.
Interpret with care
Choose the relationship that fits
This is planning arithmetic, not a score-policy checker. A required score may be outside the permitted range in your course, contract, or system.
For a side-by-side view of the classical means, use the Mean Comparison Calculator.