Pros and Cons of the Geometric Mean

Pros:

  • It is rigidly defined and its value is a precise figure.
  • It is based on all observations.
  • It is capable of further algebraic treatment.
  • It is not significantly affected by fluctuation of sampling.
  • It is not affected by extreme values.

Cons:

  • It cannot be calculated if any of the observations are zero or negative.
  • Its calculation is rather difficult.
  • It is not easy to understand.
  • It may not coincide with any of the observations.