Introduction to Statistics Week 9

Class: BS (Hons) Semester: 2nd

KURTOSIS
Kurtosis is the property related to the peakness of the frequency curve of the frequency distribution.
Leptokurtic, mesokurtic, and platykurtic are the three types of the kurtosis according to the
peakness of the frequency curve.

Leptokurtic frequency distribution:

If the curve of the frequency distribution is very highly peaked, then the frequency distribution is
called the leptokurtic frequency distribution.

Mesokurtic frequency distribution:

If the curve of the frequency distribution is not very highly peaked or not very less peaked, that is
it has normal peakness, then the frequency distribution is called the mesokurtic frequency
distribution.

Platykurtic frequency distribution:

If the frequency curve of the frequency distribution has very low peakness, then the frequency
distribution is called the platykurtic frequency distribution.

Properties of coefficient of kurtosis:

1. If the coefficient of kurtosis is positive, then the frequency distribution is leptokurtic.
2. If the coefficient of kurtosis is negative, then the frequency distribution is platykurtic.
3. If the coefficient of kurtosis is zero, then the frequency distribution is mesokurtic.

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 Introduction to Statistics Week 9

Class: BS (Hons) Semester: 2nd

Measures of kurtosis:
Any value or any term, which gives idea regarding the peakness (kurtosis) of frequency
distribution, is called the measure of kurtosis. Coefficient of kurtosis based on moments is the main
measure of kurtosis. It is defined as follows

Where, μ2 is second central moment and μ4 is fourth central moment. The moment is the
generalized concept of mean and variance. Raw moments and the central moments are the two
different types of the moments which are defined as follows:

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 Introduction to Statistics Week 9

Class: BS (Hons) Semester: 2nd

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 Introduction to Statistics Week 9

Class: BS (Hons) Semester: 2nd

Practice Questions

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