Lesson 5 – Measure of Skewness

Introduction
Sometimes the data behave in such a manner that there are more elements in
the upper section of a normal probability curve than on the middle or they are
gathered more to the left. They are sometimes referred to in statistics as descriptive
measures of Shapes. Later, when we study probability and probability distributions,
we shall know more that these measures of shapes are actually deviations of the
properties of the normal probability curve.
Before, we start with the discussion of the shape of our data, let us describe first
the characteristic of the normal probability curve

Source: PikPng.com

Characteristic of a normal probability curve

1. It has the following characteristics:
a. It is a bell shaped and looks like a Mexican hat.
b. It is symmetrical to the y axis, that is the image of the curve at the left
side is identical to that of the right
c. It is asymptotic to the x-axis, or that no matter how long the ends or
the tails of the curve are prolonged they will never meet or touch the
x-axis.
d. It is a curve, where the mean, median and mode are numerically
equal.
e. It is an ideal curve; it cannot be obtained but can only be
approximated.
f. It is so important, that it is referred to as the bread and butter of
statisticians.
There are other curves that are different from the normal probability curve
and they are described with reference to its properties and different measures of
shapes.
Measure of Shape
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a. Skewness
b. Kurtosis

A. Skewness
Definition:
1. It is a deviation from the symmetric property of the normal probability
curve. The latter is symmetric, to the y axis.
2. The deviation may be a distortion to the right or to the left as noted in the
figures below.

Source: Wikipedia Commons

3. A measure that calculates skewness is the Pearson coefficient of

skewness computed by the following formula, based on the mean and the
median:
3(𝑥 − 𝑀𝑑)
𝑠𝑘 =
𝑠
where,
𝑥 = the mean
𝑀𝑑 = the median
𝑠 = the standard deviation

4. When the coefficient of skewness is positive, it is skewed to the right or

that the mean is larger than the median.
5. When the coefficient of skewness is negative, it is skewed to the left or
that the median is larger than the mean.
Example:
1. Determine the coefficient of skewness of the curve which has a mean of
68, a median of 60 and a standard deviation of 14.
2. Determine the coefficient of skewness when mean is 38 and the median
is 43, with a standard deviation of 10
Solution:
3(𝑥−𝑀𝑑) 3(68−60)
1. 𝑠𝑘 = = ≈ 1.71
𝑠 14
Since it is positive, so it is skewed to the right
3(𝑥−𝑀𝑑) 3(38−43)
2. 𝑠𝑘 = = = −1.5
𝑠 10

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 Since it is negative, so it is skewed to the left
In summary, we note the following things:
1. Skewness is a deviation of the property of symmetry of the normal
probability curve.
2. The ideal coefficient of skewness is zero and the mean and median coincide.
3. When the coefficient of skewness is positive, the curve is skewed to the
right. If it is a test, it would mean that the test is very difficult and students
have plenty of errors.
4. When the coefficient of Skewness is negative, the curve is skewed to the left
and implies that the test is very easy.

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Exercises:
1. Given the data(sample)
22 33 44 55 36 44
27 42 38 50 41 31
33 35 44 40 41 38
43 43 38 50 53 49
42 38 39 45 49 52
A. Determine the following:
a. Mean
b. Median
c. Standard Deviation
B. Describe the following through:
a. Coefficient of skewness
b. Where is it skewed
c. Which is greater, mean or median?

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 Lesson 2 – Measure of Kurtosis
A. Kurtosis
Definition:
a. It is a measure of shape.
b. It describes the “peakedness” of a curve or its height quantitatively.
c. The value of k decides the “peakedness” of the curve for a set of data.
d. For the different type of “peakedness” of a curve we have:
1. It is platykurtic, if k is lesser than 3 or k<3
2. It is mesokurtic, if k = 3. (the normal probability)
3. It is leptokurtic, if k is greater than 3 or k>3

Source: analystprep.com

The figures show that curves that are either platykurtic or leptokurtic are
deviations of the properties of the normal probability curve.
1. Of the three types, it is the platykurtic that the variables in the data are
most widely spread.
2. The coefficient of kurtosis can be solved by the formula:
For ungrouped data:
∑(𝑥−𝜇)4 ∑(𝑥−𝑥)4
For population: 𝑘 = For sample: 𝑘 =
𝑁𝜎 4 (𝑛−1)𝑠 4

For grouped data:

∑ 𝑓 (𝑥−𝜇)4 ∑ 𝑓(𝑥−𝑥)4
For population: 𝑘 = 𝑁𝜎 4
For sample: 𝑘 = (𝑛−1)𝑠 4

where:
𝑘 = the coefficient of kurtosis
𝑥 = the variable (midpoint if grouped data)
𝑥/𝜇 = mean

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 𝑛/𝑁 = the sample size
𝑠/𝜎 = standard deviation

Example (Ungrouped Data). Given the following data: 3, 6, 1, 8, 7, solve for the
coefficient of kurtosis.
∑ 𝑥 3 + 6 + 1 + 8 + 7 25
𝑥= = = =5
𝑛 5 5
n 𝑥 |𝑥 − 𝑥| (𝑥 − 𝑥)2 (𝑥 − 𝑥)4
1 3 2 4 16
2 6 1 1 1
3 1 4 16 256
4 8 3 9 81
5 7 2 4 16
Total 25 12 34 370
∑(𝑥 − 𝑥)2
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𝑠2 = = = 8.5 → 𝑠 4 = 8.52 = 72.25
𝑛−1 4
∑(𝑥 − 𝑥)4 370 370
𝑘= = = = 1.02
𝑛𝑠 4 5(72.25) 361.25
Since 𝑘 = 1.02 < 3, then the set of data is platykurtic and is widely spread or
scattered.

Example (Grouped Data). Given the data below, solve for the coefficient of
kurtosis.
Class interval f
1–3 1
4–6 3
7–9 5
10 – 12 3
13 – 15 1

Solution:
Class interval f x (𝑥 − 𝑥) (𝑥 − 𝑥)2 (𝑥 − 𝑥)4 𝑓 (𝑥 − 𝑥 )2 𝑓 (𝑥 − 𝑥 )4
1–3 1 2 -3.69 13.63 185.86 13.63 185.86
4–6 3 5 -0.69 0.48 0.23 1.44 0.69
7–9 5 8 2.31 5.33 28.36 26.63 141.80
10 – 12 3 11 5.31 28.17 793.64 84.51 2380.92
13 – 15 1 14 8.31 69.02 4763.45 69.02 4763.45
Total 13 40 11.54 116.63 5771.54 195.23 7472.72

𝑥 = 5.69

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 2
∑ 𝑓(𝑥 − 𝑥 )2 195.23
𝑠 = = = 16.27
𝑛−1 12
𝑠 4 = (16.27)2 = 264.67
∑ 𝑓 (𝑥 − 𝑥 )4 7472.72
𝑘= = = 2.17
(𝑛 − 1)𝑠 4 13(264.67)
Since 𝑘 = 2.17 < 3, then the set of data is platykurtic and is widely spread or
scattered.

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Exercises:
1. Given the data(sample)
22 33 44 55 36 44
27 42 38 50 41 31
33 35 44 40 41 38
43 43 38 50 53 49
42 38 39 45 49 52
A. Determine the following:
a. Mean
b. Standard Deviation
c. Coefficient of kurtosis

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References:
1. Adanza, E. G, Adanza, J.G. and Bermudo, P.J.V., Statistics: Support systems for
research, Mindshapers Co.,inc. (2011)
2. Amid, D.M., Fundamentals of Statistics, Lorimar Publishing Company inc. (2005)
3. Barbara, I., et.al, Introductory Statistics by OpenStax College,
http://cnx.org/content/col11562/latest/