Re: Location and dispersion

joe.noir@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote in news:1128202135.579110.74800
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

> However, the assessment asks the following:
>
> Input your data into the statistical programme Minitab and hence
> calculate the appropriate measures of location and dispersion. Produce
> a printout of both your data and calculations.
>
> The terms "location" and "dispersion" do not appear in the course
> material, and coupled with the lack of Minitab training, I am 'dead in
> the water'

Measures of location tell you what the "typical" value of the data is,
for various definitions of "typical." Common such measures are the
(arithmetic) mean ("average" in the vernacular), median, mode, geometric
mean, and harmonic mean.

Measures of dispersion tell you how "spread out" the data is. Common
measures include the standard deviation (and variance), and the inter-
quartile range.

An important part of your assignment is pick *which* measure best
represents the location, and the dispersion, of your data. The most
commonly-used ones won't automatically be the best ones. Plotting both
groups will help you.
.