CHAPTER-IV

Measures of Dispersion
The measure of dispersion or variations is the measure of the extent of variation or deviation of individual
values from the central value. This measure of variation gives a pries idea as to the extent of representative ness
of the central value.
Definition of Measures of Dispersion

Dispersion or spread is the degree of the scatter of variation of the variables about a central value.

Dispersion is the measure of the variation of the items.

Dispersion is the mean of extent to which the individual.

Range:
The range is the absolute difference between the largest and the smallest values in a set of data.
Rang= The largest value - The smallest value
Example: The following figures are the weights of 12 persons. Calculate the range of the data.
120, 125, 118, 127, 140, 135, 107, 102, 98, 118, 109, 115
Here the highest value is 140 pound, and the lowest value is 98 pound. Therefore, the range is (140-98)= 42
pound.
Range calculate from grouped data:
Frequency distribution of 250 houses according to their money value
Value of house in Tk.
100 500
500 1000
1000 2000
2000 3000
3000 4000
4000 5000
5000 10000

Number of houses
25
42
69
72
21
13
8
250

In this case 100 is taken as the lowest value and 10,000 as the highest value of a house. Therefore, the range of
the values of houses is estimated as (10,000-100) = 9,9000.
Range is Tk. 9,900.
Coefficient of Range =

Range
Largest Value Smallest Value

100

The Mean Deviation:

The mean deviation is the mean difference of the items in a sot of data from their average.
The formula of mean deviation from mean for ungrouped data.
Mean Deviation =

Where

X = The mean

X = The value of individual items, N = The number of items.

Illustration:
The heights of 12 persons are given below in inches, calculation of mean deviation of the heights. 58, 59, 65,
62, 69, 67, 63, 61, 62, 60, 63, 62.
Calculation:
Height in inches (X)
58
59
60
61
62
62
62
63
63
65
67
69
X=751

X X

(Ignoring sign)
4.58
3.58
2.58
1.58
.58
.58
.58
.42
.42
2.42
4.42
6.42
X = 28.16

Mean

X
= 62.58 inches.
N

Mean deviation

X-X
N

28.16 2.35

12

inches.

Calculation of mean deviation from grouped data:

f X X

The formula is: MD =

Where, f = The frequency of the class

x = The mid-value of the class

x = The arithmetic mean

N = The total frequency

= The deviation of the mid-value from the mean disregarding (+ or - ) sign.
Illustration: Computation of Mean Deviation from grouped Data.
X X

Age in
years

No. of
persons
f

Mid value
X

20 30
30 40
40 50
50 60
60 70
70 80
80 90
Total

3
61
132
153
140
51
2
542

25
35
45
55=A
65
75
85

Mean X A

d=

X A
C

fd

X X

-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3

-9
- 122
- 132
0
140
102
6
fd=15

29.72
19.72
9.72
.28
10.28
20.28
30.28

X X

89.16
1202.92
1283.04
42.84
1439.20
1034.28
60.56
f X X 5152.00

fd
15
C 55
10 55 0.28 54.72 years
N
542

Mean Deviation =

f X X
N

5152.00
9.51
542

Calculation of Mean deviation from Median:

X median
Formula: MD =
N

years

Where, X = The individual values

N= No. of items
MD = The mean deviation
X-median =The absolute deviation of each value from the

median.
Illustration : Daily production records of a factory are given below in thousand tons calculated of the mean
deviation from the median for this series.
25, 31, 28, 35, 36, 33, 26, 45, 42, 32, 29, 38.
Table for calculation of mean deviation from 0 median.
Production in a
[X-Median]
sending order
25
7.5
26
6.5
12
12
N N

6
th

1 7th

Median
=
28
4.5
2
2
2
2

29
3.5
So the mean value of 6th & 7th items is the median
31
1.5
32 33
32.5 tons
i.
e,
6th 32
.5
2
th
7 32
.5
35
2.5
X median
58
36
3.5
M.D =

N
12
38
5.5
= 4.83 thousand tons.
42
9.5
45
12.5
N=12
58
Coefficient of mean deviation :

mean deviation
100
mean or median or mode

The Standard Deviation

In case of mean deviation we have deliberately disregarded signs to find out the sum of the deviations. This
process of ignoring sign is not proper from algebraic point of view. The standard deviation provides a basis for
overcoming this mathematical error and at the same time enables us to have a precise measure of dispersion.
The deviations of the values from the mean in the ease of standard deviation are not taken in original form but
are squared up. Though the process of squaring the deviations the negative character of the deviations is
removed and the problem of tie does not arise. The squared deviations are then summed up and their average
gives us the variance. The square rout of the variance is the standard deviation.
Calculation of Standard Deviation from Ungrouped Data
Direct Method : The formula is :

X X
N

Where, = The standard deviation

x = The individual values

x = The Arithmetic mean
N= Number of items.
Illustration: Marks secured out of 100 by 10 students of a class are recorded as below. Calculation of standard
deviation of the mark secured. 36, 41, 55, 42, 26, 37, 33, 52, 67, 75
Solution:
Marks
X- X
X X 2
X
26
- 204
416.16
464
46.4
AM =
33
- 13.4
179.56
10
36
- 10.4
108.16
Standard Deviation=
37
- 9.4
88.36
X X 2

41
- 5.4
29.16
N
42
- 4.4
19.36
2188
.
40
52
5.6
31.36

218.84
10
55
8.6
73.96
= 14.79 marks
67
20.6
424.36
75
28.6
817.96
464
2188.40
* Standard deviation by short cut method
Formula -

X X 2 X X

N
N

Where, = Standard deviation

A = The assumed mean

X = The value of individual items
N = The number of items.
Illustration : The annual income figure at 11 families are recorded below in taka. Calculate the standard
deviation by using short cut method. The income figures are:
4500, 5000, 53000, 6500, 5500, 6200, 5700, 6900, 7600, 5275, 5750.
Solution
Annual income in Taka (X)
x-A=D
(X-A)2=D2
4500
- 1200
14,40,000
5000
- 700
490000
5275
- 425
180625
5300
- 400
160000
5500
- 200
40000
5700
0
0
5750
50
2500
6200
500
250000
6500
800
640000
6900
1200
1440000
7600
1900
3610000
2
Total
(X-A)=1525
(X-A) =8,253,125
D=(X-A)=1525
D2=(X-A)2=8,253,125

SD =

d2
N

S, D =
=

X A 2 X A

N
N

750284.09 138.64 2

8,253,125 1525

11
11

731063.4 = 855.02 Taka

Standard Deviation = 855.02 Taka.

Standard Deviation from Grouped Data
a)

Direct Method : The formula

Standard Deviation :

f X X
N

Where, X = The mid-value of the class

f = The frequency of the class
X = The mean

X X

N = The total frequency

= Square at the deviation of X from X for each class.

Illustration : The following table shows the age of 200 persons. Calculate the standard deviation from the age
group in years.
Solution
Age group in years
Number of persons
04
37
59
38
10 19
33
20 35
43
36 45
20
46 59
18
60 75
11
Age group

04
59
1019
2035
36- 45
4659
6075

37
38
33
43
20
18
11
20

Mean, X

fx

xx

74.0
266.0
478.5
1182.5
810.0
945.0
742.5
4498.5

- 20.49
- 15.49
- 7.99
5.01
18.01
30.01
45.01

x x

419.84
239.94
63.84
25.10
324.36
900.60
2025.90

f x x 2
15534.08
9117.72
2106.72
1079.30
6487.20
16210.80
22284.90
72820.72

fx 4498.5

22.49 years
N
200

f X X 2
72820.72
= 3.64.1036 = 19.08 years.

N
200
Standard deviation from grouped data by using s

Standard deviation =
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)

x (mid
value)
2.0
7.0
14.5
27.5
40.5
52.5
67.5

hort-cut method:
The formula:

Standard Deviation =

fd
N

fd
N

Where, C = the size of class interval

f = The class frequency
X A
d=
C
X = The mid value of individual class
A = The assumed mean
N = The total frequency.

Illustration : Calculate the standard deviation of the following distribution of the weights at a group of 1000 children:
Solution
Weight groups
Frequency
24.5 28.5
3
28.5 32.5
11
32.5 36.5
61
36.5 40.5
147
40.5 44.5
258
44.5 48.5
276
48.5 52.5
135
52.5 56.5
73
56.5 60.5
32
60.5 64.5
4
Table for calculation of standard deviation by short-cut method:
Weight
group

Frequency
(f)

Mid-value
(X)

24.5 28.5
28.5- 32.5
32.5-36.5
36.5-40.5
40.5-44.5
44.5-48.5
48.5-52.5
52.5-56.5
56.5-60.5
60.5-64.5
Total
Here

Step
deviation
XA
d
C
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5

3
26.5
11
30.5
61
34.5
147
38.5
258
42.5=A
276
46.5
135
50.5
73
54.5
32
58.5
4
62.5
1000
X 42.5
d=
, c = 4, A = 42.5
4
fd 2 fd 2
2623 599

C =

N
N
1000
1000

= 2.623 .6 2 4 = 2.623 .36 4

= 2.263 4 = 1.5044 = 6.016

d2

fd

fd2

16
9
4
1
0
1
4
9
16
25

- 12
- 33
- 122
- 147
0
276
270
219
128
20
599

48
99
244
147
0
276
540
657
512
100
2623

Standard Deviation = 6.016

fd C 42.5 599 4 = 42.5+5.99 4

= 42.5+23.96 = 66.46
100

6.016
CV
100 Variance = 2 =
100 Variance
X
66.46

100
= 9.05, CV = Coefficient of Variation
X

X A