To compute the sample mean for the given data set $17, 23, 14$, follow these steps:

1. Add the numbers together:

$17 + 23 + 14 = 54$

2. Count the number of data points: There are 3 values in the data set.

3. Divide the sum by the number of data points:

$\frac{54}{3} = 18$

So, the sample mean of the data set is 18.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are five related questions:

1. What is the difference between the sample mean and population mean?
2. How would you calculate the sample variance of this data set?
3. What if another value, say 25, was added to the data set? How would that affect the sample mean?
4. How do you interpret the sample mean in the context of a larger study?
5. What is the relationship between the sample size and the accuracy of the sample mean in statistics?

Tip: Always double-check your calculations to avoid simple arithmetic errors, especially in exams or real-world scenarios.