Measures of Center and Spread Flashcard Review 2-12-24

Front

What is the definition of 'Measures of Center'?

Back

Measures of Center are statistical values that describe the center point or typical value of a dataset, commonly represented by the mean, median, and mode.

Front

What is the definition of 'Standard Deviation'?

Back

Standard Deviation is a measure of the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of values. A low standard deviation indicates that the values tend to be close to the mean, while a high standard deviation indicates that the values are spread out over a wider range.

Front

What does it mean if a distribution is 'Skewed Left'?

Back

A distribution is skewed left (or negatively skewed) if it has a longer tail on the left side, indicating that there are a few lower values pulling the mean down.

Front

What does it mean if a distribution is 'Skewed Right'?

Back

A distribution is skewed right (or positively skewed) if it has a longer tail on the right side, indicating that there are a few higher values pulling the mean up.

Front

What is the difference between 'Mean' and 'Median'?

Back

The mean is the average of all data points, while the median is the middle value when the data points are arranged in order.

Front

When is it appropriate to use the 'Mean' as a measure of center?

Back

The mean is appropriate when the data has no outliers, as outliers can skew the mean significantly.

Front

What is a 'Symmetrical' distribution?

Back

A symmetrical distribution is one where the left and right sides of the distribution are mirror images of each other, meaning the mean, median, and mode are all equal.

Front

How do you determine which data set has the largest standard deviation?

Back

To determine which data set has the largest standard deviation, calculate the standard deviation for each set and compare the values.

Front

What does 'Variability' in a data set refer to?

Back

Variability refers to how spread out or dispersed the values in a data set are. High variability means the values are spread out, while low variability means they are clustered closely together.

Front

What is the formula for calculating Standard Deviation?

Back

The formula for standard deviation (σ) is: σ = √(Σ(xi - μ)² / N), where μ is the mean, xi represents each value, and N is the number of values.