Hossana Health Science Collage,

Departments of Laboratory

Descriptive Statistics:
Numerical Summary Measures
By:Hana.S. (MPH/Epi)
 Numerical summary
measures
 A single number which quantify the characteristics of a
distribution of values.

 Measures of central tendency (location)

 Measures of dispersion (variability)

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 Measures of Central Tendency (MCT)

• On the scale of values of a variable there is a

certain stage at which the largest number of
items tend to cluster.
• Since this stage is usually in the centre of
distribution, the tendency of the statistical data
to get concentrated at a certain value is called
“central tendency”
• The various methods of determining the point
about which the observations tend to
concentrate are called MCT.
• The objective of calculating MCT is to
determine a single figure which may be used to
represent the whole data set.

• In that sense it is an even more compact

description of the statistical data than the
frequency distribution.

• Since a MCT represents the entire data, it

facilitates comparison within one group or
between groups of data.
• The most common measures of central
tendency include:
– Arithmetic Mean
– Median
– Mode
– Others
 1. Arithmetic Mean
A. Ungrouped Data
• The arithmetic mean is the "average" of the data set and
by far the most widely used measure of central location
• Is the sum of all the observations divided by the total
number of observations.
 Example

19 21 20 34 22 24 27
27 20
27

• Then, Mean = (19 + 21 + … +27) = 24.1

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• General formula
a) Ungrouped data
If x 1 , x 2 , ..., x n are n observed
n values, then

x =  x.
i=1 i
n
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The Summation Notation
 b) Grouped data
• We assume that all values falling into a particular class interval are located at
the mid-point of the interval. It is calculated as

follow: k


i=1
m ifi
x = k

 f
i i=1

• where,

k = the number of class intervals

mi = the mid-point of the ith class interval

fi = the frequency of the ith class interval

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Example. Compute the mean age of 169 subjects from the grouped
data.
Mean = 5810.5/169 = 34.38 years

Class interval Mid-point (mi) Frequency (fi) mifi

[10-19] 14.5 4 58.0
[20-29] 24.5 66 1617.0
[30-39] 34.5 47 1621.5
[40-49] 44.5 36 1602.0
[50-59] 54.5 12 654.0
[60-69] 64.5 4 258.0

Total 169 5810.5

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 Properties of the arithmetic mean
• For given set of data there is one and only one arithmetic
mean (uniqueness).
• It is easily calculate and understand (simple).

• Poor measure of central location if the underlying distribution

is not normal (or not Gaussian).
• Influenced by each and every value in the data set hence
affected by the extreme values.
• In grouped data if any class interval is open, arithmetic mean
can not be calculated. 11
12
 Median
• With the observations arranged in increasing or decreasing order,
the median is defined as the middle observation.

a) ungrouped data

If observations are odd, the median is defined as the [(n+1)/2]th

observation.

• If observations are even the median is the average of the two

middle (n/2)th and [(n/2)+1]th values i.e
Example : 19 2 0 20 21 22 24 27 27 27 34
• Then, the median = (22 + 24)/2 = 23

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The median is a better measure of central tendency (than the mean)
when the distribution is skewed

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 b) Grouped data

 we assume that the values within a class-interval are evenly

distributed through the interval.
– The first step is to locate the class interval in which it
is located.
– Find n/2 and see a class interval with a minimum
cumulative frequency which contains n/2.

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 Median for Grouped data…..
To find a unique median value, use the following formal.

nF
 
x = Lm  2 c W
~
• where,   fm 
 
• Lm = lower true class boundary of the interval containing the median

• Fc = cumulative frequency of the interval just above the median class

interval
• fm = frequency of the interval containing the median
• W= class interval width

• n = total number of
observations

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Example. Compute the median age of 169 subjects from the grouped
data.

n/2 = 169/2 = 84.5

Class interval Mid-point (mi) Frequency (fi) Cum. freq

[10-19] 14.5 4 4
[20-29] 24.5 66 70
[30-39] 34.5 47 117
[40-49] 44.5 36 153
[50-59] 54.5 12 165
[60-69] 64.5 4 169
Total 169

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• n/2 = 84.5 = in the 3rd class interval
• Lower limit = 29.5, Upper limit = 39.5
• Frequency of the class = 47
• Fc = 70
• (n/2 – fc) = 84.5-70 = 14.5
• Median = 29.5 + (14.5/47)10 = 32.58 ≈ 33

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 Properties of median
• There is only one median for a given set of data
(uniqueness)
• The median is easy to calculate

• Median is a positional average and hence it is not

sensitive to very large or very small values.
• The median is a better measure of central tendency
(than the mean) when the distribution is skewed
(not normal)
• Can be calculated even in the case of open end
intervals 19
 Mode
• It is a value that occur most often.

• Most distributions have one peak and are described as uni-modal.

• E.g. 19 21 20 20 34 22 24 27 27 27
• The mode is 27, because the value 27 occurs three times (the
most frequent).
• Some distributions have more than one mode

 Unimodal: A distribution with one mode.

 Bimodal: A distribution with two modes.

 Trimodal: A distribution with three modes.

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 Mode….

• The mode of grouped data usually refers to the modal class with
the highest frequency.
• If a single value for the mode of grouped data must be specified, it is
taken as the mid point of the modal class interval.
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 Properties of mode
It is not affected by extreme values
Often its value is not unique (more than
one mode is possible)
The main drawback of mode is that often
it does not exist, therefore it is not a good
summary of the majority of the data.

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 Quartiles
• If the data are divided into four equal parts, we speak
of quartiles.
• The median divides the data into two equal parts

a) The first quartile (Q1): 25% of all the ranked

observations are less than Q1. [25th percentile]

b) b) The second quartile (Q2): 50% of all the ranked observations

are less than Q2. [50th percentile] The second quartile is the
median.

c) The third quartile (Q3): 75% of all the ranked observations are
less than Q3. [75th percentile] 104
 Percentiles

 Simply divide the data into 100

pieces.
 Commonly used percentiles:
→ 10, 20, … . . 90% (deciles)
→ 20, 40, … . . 80% (quintiles)
→ 25, 50, 75% (quartiles)
→ 33.3, 66.7% (tertiles)

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– P0: The minimum

– P25: 25% of the sample values are less than or equal to this value.
P25 means 1st Quartile or 25th percentile and given by:-
0.25(n+1)th observation

– P50: 50% of the sample are less than or equal to this value. 2nd
Quartile or 50th percentile and given by:-

0.5(n+1)th observation
– P75: 75% of the sample values are less than or equal to this
value. 3rd Quartile or 75th percentile and given by:-

0.75(n+1)th observation
– P100: The maximum
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Example: Birth weight in grams

2069, 2581, 2759, 2834, 2838, 2841, 3031, 3101, 3200, 3245, 3248,
3260, 3265, 3314, 3323, 3484, 3541, 3609, 3649, 4146
 find the 10th and 90th percentile of the data set.
 10th percentile = 0.1(20+1) = 2.1th value

 the average of the 2nd and 3rd values = (2581+2759)/2 = 2670

g
 90th percentile = 0.9(20+1) = 18.9th value

 the average of the18th and 19th values = (3609+3649)/2 =

3629 g

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27
Descriptive statistics
Measures of
dispersion

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Measures of Dispersion……

Consider the following two sets of data:

A: 177, 193, 195, 209, 226 Mean = 200
B: 192, 197, 200, 202, 209 Mean = 200

• Two or more sets may have the same mean and/or

median but they may be quite different.
• MCT are not good to describe about the variability
or spread of the values.

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 Measures of Dispersion

• Measures that quantify the variation or dispersion of a set of data

from its central location.

• Dispersion refers to the variety exhibited by the values of

the data.

• The amount may be small when the values are close together.

• If all the values are the same, no dispersion

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 1. Range (R)
• The difference between the largest and smallest observations in a
data set.

• Range = Maximum value – Minimum value

• Example –

– Data values: 5, 9, 12, 16, 23, 34, 37, 42

– Range = 42-5 = 37

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 Properties of range

 It is the simplest crude measure and can be easily understood

 It takes into account only two values which causes it to be a
poor measure of dispersion
 Very sensitive to extreme observations

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 2. Inter-quartile range (IQR)

• Indicates the spread of the middle 50% of the observations,

and used with median

IQR = Q3 - Q1

Example: Suppose the first and third quartile for weights of

girls 12 months of age are 8.8 Kg and 10.2 Kg, respectively.

IQR = 10.2 Kg – 8.8 Kg

i.e., 50% of the infant girls weigh between 8.8 and 10.2 Kg.

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 Example 2
• Given the following data set (age of patients):-

18, 59, 24, 42, 21, 23, 24, 32

• Find the inter-quartile range

• Solution: 18 21 23 24 24 32 42 59
• 1st quartile = {(n+1)/4}th = (2.25)th = (21 + 23)/2 =
22
• 3rd quartile = {3/4 (n+1)}th = (6.75)th = (32 + 42)/2 =
37
• Hence, IQR = 37 - 22 = 15

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Properties of IQR:
• It encloses the central 50% of the observations

• It is not based on all observations but only on two specific

values
• It is important in selecting cut-off points in the formulation
of clinical standards.
• Since it excludes the lowest and highest 25% values, it is
not affected by extreme values
• Less sensitive to the size of the sample

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36
37
38
39
40
 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

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 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

42
 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

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 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

44
 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

45
 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

46
 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

47
 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

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 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

49
 n
 (x i  x) 2
i=1
S2 
n-
1

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Example. Compute the variance and SD of the age of 169 subjects from
the grouped data.
Mean = 5810.5/169 = 34.48
years S2 = 20199.22/169-1 =
120.23
SD = √S2 = √120.23 = 10.96
Class
interval (mi) (fi) (mi-Mean) (mi-Mean)2 (mi-Mean)2 fi
10-19 14.5 4 -19.98 399.20 1596.80
20-29 24.5 66 -9-98 99.60 6573.60
30-39 34.5 47 0.02 0.0004 0.0188
40-49 44.5 36 10.02 100.40 3614.40
50-59 54.5 12 20.02 400.80 4809.60
60-69 64.5 4 30.02 901.20 3604.80
Total 169 1901.20 20199.22

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 Properties of SD
• Has the advantage of being expressed in the same units
of measurement as the mean

• The best measure of dispersion and is used widely because of the

properties of the theoretical normal curve.

• However, if the units of measurements of variables of two data sets

is not the same, then there variability can‟t be compared by
comparing the values of SD.
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 Coefficient of variation (CV)
 When two data sets have different units of measurements the CV
should be used as a measure of dispersion.
 It is the best measure to compare the variability of two series of
sets of observations.
 Data with less coefficient of variation is considered
more consistent.

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 CV is the ratio of the SD to the mean multiplied by
100.

S
C V  x  100

SD Mean CV (%)

SBP 15mm 130mm 11.5

Cholesterol 40mg/dl 200md/dl 20.0

“Cholesterol is more variable than systolic blood

pressure”

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 Skewed distributions
 Skewness: If extremely low or extremely high observations are
present in a distribution, then the mean tends to shift towards
those scores.
 Based on the type of Skewness, distributions can be:

A. Positively skewed distribution: Occurs when the majority of

scores are at the left end of the curve and a few extreme large
scores are scattered at the right end.

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B. Negatively skewed distribution: occurs when majority of
scores are at the right end of the curve and a few small scores
are scattered at the left end.

C. Symmetrical distribution: It is neither positively

nor negatively skewed.

A curve is symmetrical if one half of the curve is the mirror

image of the other half.

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Mean, Median & Mode

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 Which measures to use?
• When the distribution is symmetric, summarize the data using means and
standard deviations.
• When the data are skewed, it is preferable to use the median and IQR as
summary statistics.
• Median and IQR are not easily influenced by extreme values in a
skewed
distribution unlike means and standard deviations.
• Remark:
• The mean and median of symmetric distribution coincide.

• When skewed to the right, its mean is larger than its median.

• When skewed to the left, its mean is smaller than its median.(see fig.58a-
 Median Mode Mean
Fig. 2(a). Symmetric Distribution Mode Median Mean
Fig. 2(b). Distribution skewed to the right

Mean = Median = Mode Mean > Median > Mode

Mean Median Mode

Fig. 2(c). Distribution skewed to the left

Mean < Median < Mode 143