Comparing Distributions Flashcards

The process of analysing two or more sets of data using statistical measures such as mean, median, range, and interquartile range.

A measure of average found by adding all the values and dividing by the number of values.

The middle value when a data set is ordered. If there is an even number of values, it is the average of the two middle values.

The most frequently occurring value in a data set. There can be more than one mode or no mode at all.

A measure of spread calculated as the difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.

A measure of spread calculated as the difference between the upper quartile (Q3) and the lower quartile (Q1).

A diagram that shows the minimum, lower quartile, median, upper quartile, and maximum of a data set, used to compare distributions.

A graph that shows the running total of frequencies, used to estimate medians, quartiles, and percentiles.

A description of the symmetry of a data set. Positive skew means a longer tail on the right, and negative skew means a longer tail on the left.

When comparing distributions, consider measures of average (mean, median) and spread (range, IQR), and comment on any skewness or outliers.