Alphabetical Statistical Symbols:

Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary

Equivalent (if appropriate)
a Y- intercept of least a = y  b x , for line y = a + bx Regression: y on x
square regression line
b Slope of least
squares regression b=
 ( x  x)( y  y) for line y = a + bx
Regression: y on x

 ( x  x)
2
line
B (n, p) Binomial Discrete probability If X follows B (n, p) then, Binomial Distribution
distribution with distribution for the P (X = r) = C r p r (1  p) nr ,
n

parameters n and probability of number

p of successes in n
independent random Where, 0 < p <1,
trials under the r = 0,1,2, ...n
identical conditions.
c Confidence level c  P( z c  Normal(0,1)  z c ) Confidence interval
n n-c-r Combinations n!
C r
(number of
n
C  , where n  r
r
r!(n  r )!
combinations of n
objects taken r at a
time)
n-c-r Combinations n!
C n, r
(number of C n,r  r!(n  r )! , where n  r
combinations of n
objects taken r at a
time)
Cov (X, Y) Covariance Covariance between Cov (X) =E [(X-E (X))(Y- E (Y)]
between X and Y X&Y

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 Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary
Equivalent (if appropriate)
CV Coefficient of S tan dard Deviation
variation CV= .
Arithmatic mean
df Degree(s) of freedom
E Maximal error 
tolerance E  zc for large samples.
n

E (f (x)) Expected value of

f (x)
E (f (x)) =  f ( x) P( x )
f Frequency f = number of times score.
F F-distribution  12 F-distribution,
variable n1 Hypothesis testing for
F= where n1 and n2 are the equality of 2
 2
2
variances.
n2
corresponding degrees of freedom.
F (x) or F x Distribution function x
Fx   f x dx

f (x) or f x Probability mass Depends on the distribution.
function f x  0 &  f x dx = 1.
x
H0 H-naught Null hypothesis. The null hypothesis is the hypothesis Testing of hypothesis
about the population parameter.
H1 H-one Alternate hypothesis. An alternate hypothesis is constructed in Testing of hypothesis
such a way that it is the one to be
accepted when the null hypothesis must
be rejected.
IQR Interquartile range IQR = Q - Q Measures of central
3 1
tendency.

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Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary
Equivalent (if appropriate)
MS M-S Mean square SS Analysis of variance
MS= (ANOVA)
df
n Sample size. n = number of units in a sample.
N Population size N = Number of units in the population.
P n-p-r Permutation (number n!
n, r
of ways to arrange in Pn,r  (n  r )! , where n  r
order n distinct
objects taking them r
at a time)
Pr n-p-r Permutation (number n!
n
of ways to arrange in Pr  , where n  r
(n  r )!
n

order n distinct
objects taking them r
at a time)
p̂ p-hat Sample proportion number of success Binomial distribution
pˆ  .
number of trials
P (A | B) Probability of A Conditional P( A  B)
given B probability P (A | B) =
P( B)
P (x) Probability of x Probability of x No.of favorable outcomes
P (x) =
Total no.of outcomes
p-value The attained level of P value is the smallest level of
significance. significance for which the observed
sample statistic tells us to reject the null
hypothesis.
Q Probability of not q=1–p
happening of the
event

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Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary
Equivalent (if appropriate)
Q Q-one First quartile Q = Median of the lower half of the Measures of central
1 1
tendency
data that is data below median.
Q Q-two Second quartile Q2 = Central value of an ordered data. Measures of central
2
Or Median tendency
Q Q-three Third quartile Q3 = Median of the upper half of the Measures of central
3
tendency
data that is data above the median.
R Sample Correlation Co var iance ( X , Y )
coefficient r
[ SD( X )] * [ SD(Y )]
2 r-square Coefficient of 2
r  (Correlatio n coefficien t)
2
r determination
R2 r-square Multiple correlation mean square error
coefficient R2  1
S y2
S Sample standard
deviation s
 (x  x) 2

for ungrouped data.

Measures of
dispersion
n 1

s
 f (x  x) 2

 f   1
for grouped data.

s2
S-square Sample variance 2

 (x  x) 2 Measures of
s n 1
for ungrouped data. dispersion

2

 f (x  x)2
s  f   1 for grouped data

S e2 s-e- square Error variance sum of squares of residuals

S e2  .
n

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Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary
Equivalent (if appropriate)
SD Sample standard
deviation s
 (x  x) 2

for ungrouped data.

n 1

s
 f (x  x) 2

 f   1
for grouped data.

skb Bowley’s coefficient (Q3  Q2)  (Q2  Q1) Measures of skew

of skewness skb = ness
(Q3  Q1)
skp Pearson’s coefficient Mean  Mode Measures of skew
of skewness skp = ness
S tan dard Deviation
SS x Sum of Squares SS x   ( x  x) 2 for ungrouped data.
SS x   f ( x  x) 2 for grouped data.
t Student’s t variable. Normal (0,1) t-distribution
t
 n 2
n

tc t critical The critical value for t c =Number such that the area under the Testing of hypothesis
a confidence level c. t distribution for a given number of
degrees of freedom falling between
 t c and t c is equal to c.
Var (X) Variance of X Variance of X Var (X) = E (X-  ) 2
X Independent variable Eg. In the study of, yield obtained & the
or explanatory irrigation level, independent variable is,
variable in regression X= Irrigation level.
analysis

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 Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary
Equivalent (if appropriate)
x x-bar Arithmetic mean or
Average of X scores. x
x for ungrouped data.
Measures of central
tendency
n

x
 fx for grouped data.
f
y Dependent variable Eg. In the study of, yield obtained & the
or response variable irrigation level, dependent variable is,
in regression analysis Y= Yield obtained.
Z Z-score Standard normal x Standard normal
z , where X follows
variable  distribution
(Normal variable Normal (  ,  ).
with mean = 0 & SD
= 1)
zc z critical The critical value for z c = Number such that the area under Testing of hypothesis
a confidence level c. the standard normal curve falling
between  z c and z c is equal to c. Confidence interval

Greek Statistical Symbols:

Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary (if

Equivalent appropriate)
 Alpha Type I error or  = P [Rejecting the null hypothesis | Hypothesis Testing
Level of Significance. Null hypothesis is true].

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Symbol Text Meaning
Equivalent
 Beta Type II error or
Power of the test.
 Epsilon “Error Term” in
regression/statistics; more
generally used to denote
an arbitrarily small
positive number
 2 Chi-square Chi-square distribution
Formula Link to Glossary (if
appropriate)
 = P [Accepting the null hypothesis | Hypothesis Testing
Null hypothesis is False].
Regression
y = 0+ 1 *x + 
 = Sum of n independent Standard Chi-square distribution.
2

normal variables
 2 Chi-square Chi-square distribution
2  
(O  E ) 2
where O is the
Goodness of fit test
E
observed frequency and E is the
expected frequency.
Or
(n  1) s 2
 
2
(?)
2

(n) Gamma-n Gamma function (n) = (n-1) !
 Lambda Parameter used for  = Mean of Poisson distribution Poisson distribution
Poisson distribution
 Mu Arithmetic mean or

x
Average of the
N
population.
 = E (x) =  xP(x)
 
th
Mu-r r central moment = E [(X-  )r] Measures of central tendency.
r r

 'r Mu-r-dash rth Raw moment  'r = E (Xr) Measures of central tendency.
 Rho Population correlation Covariance ( X , Y )
coefficient 
SD( X ) * SD(Y )

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 Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary (if
Equivalent appropriate)
 Sigma Summation  x = Sum of x scores.
 Sigma Population Standard
Deviation 
 (x  ) 2 Measures of dispersion
N
= E[( x   ) 2 ]   ( x   ) P( x )
2

 Sigma square Population variance  (x  ) Measures of dispersion

2 2

 2

Mathematical Statistical Symbols:

Symbol Text Meaning Formula Link to Glossary

Equivalent (if appropriate)
! Factorial Product of all integers up n! = n (n-1) (n-2) …….. 1.
to the given number 0! = 1
c Complement not For example: A is not A
c

 Union or For example:(A  B) is happening of

either event A or event B
 Intersection And For example: (A  B) is happening of
both event A and event B

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