Descriptive statistics, mean, median, standard deviation
Mean, median, range, variance and standard deviation of a series of values, with the sample / population distinction.
Result
Awaiting the quantities required for the calculation.
Calculation, assumptions and sources
OverviewMeasures of central tendency (mean, median, minimum, maximum) and dispersion (range, variance, standard deviation) of a series of values, in sample and population versions.
Measures of central tendency (mean, median, minimum, maximum) and dispersion (range, variance, standard deviation) of a series of values, in sample and population versions.
Method & formulasx̄ = (Σ xᵢ) / n
The standard deviation is the square root of the variance and is expressed in the unit of the data.
- n
- number of values in the series.
- x̄
- arithmetic mean.
- Median
- the central value of the sorted series; for an even count, the mean of the two central values.
- Range
- the difference between the largest and smallest value.
- s
- sample standard deviation, dividing by n − 1, for a sample from a larger population.
- σ
- population standard deviation, dividing by n, when the series is the entire population.
Validity domainOn a small sample, the two standard deviations differ by more than 10%, and the population formula applied to a sample underestimates the dispersion.
On a small sample, the two standard deviations differ by more than 10%, and the population formula applied to a sample underestimates the dispersion. With a single value, the sample standard deviation is undefined (division by zero).
ExampleFor the series 2, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9: the mean is 5, the median 4.5, the population standard deviation exactly 2, and the sample standard deviation about 2.138.
For the series 2, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9: the mean is 5, the median 4.5, the population standard deviation exactly 2, and the sample standard deviation about 2.138.