LECTURE 3 OF 3

TOPIC : 6.0 DATA DESCRIPTION

SUBTOPIC : 6.3 Measures of Dispersion

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, students
should be able to

a) find and interpret variance and standard

deviation for ungrouped data.
b) find and interpret variance and standard
deviation for grouped data.

c) find and interpret the Pearson’s Coefficient

of Skewness.
INTRODUCTION

Two sets of data might have the same mean

value but may differ in their dispersion.

For example, in the following data set,

Set A: 23, 24, 24, 25, 25, 25, 25, 26, 26, 27
Set B : 2, 6, 15, 22, 25, 25, 25, 30, 40, 60
have the same mean, that is 25, but
most of the numbers in the first set are
around the mean value.
On the other hand, the second set is
more spread away from the mean.

Set A

Set B

mean = 25
The difference in the spread of data can be
determined by the measure of dispersion.
Two common measures of dispersion are
the variance and standard deviation.

A bigger value of variance or standard

deviation means that the data are more
spread out about the mean and less
consistent.
Variance and Standard Deviation of
Ungrouped Data

For ungrouped data

 x  2

x 2

n
Variance, s 2 
n 1

 x  2

x  n 2

Standard deviation, s 
n 1
If the set of data multiple by a constant k ,
new variance  k 2  original variance.

If the set of data multiple by a constant k ,

new standard deviation

 k  original standard deviation
Example 1
Find the mean, variance and standard
deviation for the data below.
2, 7, 10, 9, 2, 5, 16
Solution
n7 ,  x  51 ,  x 2
 519

Mean, x
 x

51
 7.29
n 7
 x  2
(51) 2
 x 2

n
519 
7
Variance, s 2    24.57
n 1 7 1

Standard deviation, s  24.57  4.96

Example 2
The following is the systolic blood pressure,
in mm Hg, of 10 patients in a hospital.
165 135 151 155 158
146 149 124 162 173
a) Find the mean and the standard
deviation of the systolic blood pressure
of the 10 patients.
b) Find the number of patients whose
systolic blood pressures exceed one
standard deviation above or below the
mean.
Solution
a ) n  10 ,  x  1518 ,   232306
x 2

Mean, x
 x
n
1518

10
 151.8
 x  2

x 2

n
Standard deviation, s
n 1

(1518) 2
232306 
 10
10  1
 14.43
b) One standard deviation from the mean
 (151.8  14.43 , 151.8  14.43)
 (137.37 , 166.23)

Number of patients with systolic blood

pressure outside this range is 3

165 135 151 155 158

146 149 124 162 173
Variance and Standard Deviation of
Grouped Data
 fx  2

 fx 2

n
Variance, s 2 
n 1

 fx  2

 fx 2

n
Standard deviation, s 
n 1
Example 3
The frequency distribution table shows
the masses of loaves of bread produced
by a bakery.
Mass 420 – 425 – 430 – 435 – 440 –
(g) 424 429 434 439 444
Frequ
16 24 25 18 17
ency

a) Find the mean, variance and standard

deviation.
b) The bakery allows only loaves of bread
each with a mass of within one standard
deviation from the mean to be sold in
the market. Find the interval of mass of
the loaves of bread allowed to be sold.
Solution
Mass (g) Frequency Midpoint, x
420 – 424 16 422
425 – 429 24 427
430 – 434 25 432
435 – 439 18 437
440 – 444 17 442
a) n  100 ,  fx  43180 ,  fx 2  18649470

Mean, x
 fx 43180
  431.8
n 100
  fx 
2
(43180) 2
 fx 2

n
18649470 
100  43.90
Variance, s 2

n 1

100  1

Standard deviation, s  43.90  6.63

b) One standard deviation from the mean

 (431.8  6.63 , 431.8  6.63)
 (425.17 , 438.43)

Thus, the interval of mass of the loaves

of bread allowed to be sold in the market
is between 425.17g and 438.43g.
Example 4
The frequency distribution table shows the
hourly wages of workers in a factory.
Wage
5–7 8 – 10 11 – 13 14 – 16 17 – 19
(RM)
Frequ
9 16 11 8 6
ency

a)Find the standard deviation, correct to

three decimal places.
b) If the manager of the factory decides to
increase the wage of each worker by 20%,
find the new standard deviation.
Solution
Wage (RM) frequency Midpoint, x
5–7 9 6
8 – 10 16 9
11 – 13 11 12
14 – 16 8 15
17 – 19 6 18

a ) n  50 ,  fx  558 ,  fx 2  6948
Standard deviation,
 fx  2
(558) 2
 fx 2 
n
6948 
50  3.835
s 
n 1 50  1

b) The new standard deviation

 1.2(3.835)
 4.602
SYMMETRY AND SKEWNESS

If mean = median = mode .

The distribution is symmetrical.

If mode < median < mean .

The distribution is skewed to the right.

If mean < median < mode .

The distribution is skewed to the left.
Pearson’s Coefficient of Skewness

The Pearson’s coefficient of skewness

is given by

Sk 
3 mean  median  or S k  mean  mode
standard deviation standard deviation

If S k  0 then the data distribution is

skewed to the left / skewed negative .
If S k  0 then the data distribution is
skewed to the right/ skewed positive.
If S k  0 then the data distribution is
symmetrical.

(If  0.1  S k  0.1 the term slightly is use)

Example 1
Given the following sorted data. Find the
mean and median. Hence, calculate the
Pearson’s coefficient of skewness.
1.2, 1.5, 1.9, 2.4, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.0, 3.5, 3.8.
Solution
n  10 ,  x  24.8 ,   67.52
x 2

Mean, x   x 24.8
  2.48
n 10
2.4  2.5
Median   2.45
2
Standard deviation,
 x  2
( 24.8) 2
x  n
2
67.52 
10  0.818
s 
n 1 10  1
Pearson’s coefficient of skewness,
3(mean  median)
sk 
s tan dard deviation
3(2.48  2.45)

0.818
 0.110
Example 2
The frequency distribution of the age (in years)
of 80 patients in a clinics is given in the table
below.
Age 10 – 15 15 – 20 20 – 25 25 – 30 30 – 35 35 – 40
Number of 5 15 24 18 10 8
Patients

Find the mean and mode. Hence, calculate

and interpret Pearson’s coefficient of
skewness given that the standard deviation
is 6.798 years.
Solution
Age f x
10-15 5 12.5
15-20 15 17.5
20-25 24 22.5
25-30 18 27.5
30-35 10 32.5
35-40 8 37.5
n  80 ,  fx  1985
Mean, x
 fx

1985
 24.8
n 80
d1  24  15  9 , d 2  24  18  6 , LB  20 , C  5

 d1   9 
Mode  LB   C  20   (5)  23
 d1  d 2  96

Pearson’s coefficient of skewness,

mean  mod e 24.8  23
Sk    0.265
standard deviation 6.798

The distribution of daily income is skewed

to the right.