Skewness

Skewness is a measure of how the data is spread in

comparison with the mean.
Is the histogram symmetrical? If so, Skewness is zero.
If the left hand tail is longer, skewness will be
negative.The data is spread out below the mean than it is
above
If the right hand tail is longer, skewness will be positive.
The data is spread out above the mean than it is below
Symmetrical Distribution
Mean Mode Median
!"
#
$"
%
"
%
& "
'
(
Most of the readings are in the middle !Skewness is zero
or close to)(
The median is e*uidistant from both the upper *uartile and
lower *uartiles
Negatively Skewed
mean + Median + Mode
skewed away from the y a,is !"
#
& "
%
+ "
%
& "
'
(
- lot of the readings are on the high side !tail on the left(
The median is closer to the upper *uartile than it is to the
lower *uartile
Positively Skewed

Mode + Median + Mean
skewed towards the y a,is !"
#
& "
%
. "
%
& "
'
(
- lot of readings are on the low side !tail on the right(
The median is closer to the lower quartile than it is to
the upper quartile
Measuring skewness
Two Methods
'( /earson 0oefficient of Skewness
SD
median mean ) ( 3
%( "uartile 0oefficient of Skewness
1 3
1 2 3
2
Q Q
Q Q Q

+
1reater than ' or less than $' indicates a highly skewed distribution2
3etween 4.5 and ' or $4.5 and $' is moderately skewed2 and
3etween $4.5 and 4.5 indicates that the distribution is fairly symmetric.
Pearson Coefficient of Skewness lies between ! and "!
#$ample
The table summarises the marks obtained in a Maths 0alculator and non calculator papers
0alculator the /earson6s and "uartile coefficient of skewness for each paper. 0omment on the
distributions
0alculator /aper 7on 0alculator /aper
84 9ower "uartile #5
5: Median 8%
;4 <pper "uartile 5=
55 Mean 8=.'
%'.% Standard >eviation ';.:
?orking
0alculator /aper 7on 0alculator /aper
425 . 0
2 . 21
9
2 . 21
) 58 0 . 55 ( 3
=

=

/earson6s 0oefficient of
skewness
691 . 0
8 . 17
3 . 12
8 . 17
) 42 1 . 46 ( 3
= =

2 . 0
30
6
40 70
40 58 2 70
=

+
"uartile coefficient of
skewness
333 . 0
21
7
35 56
35 42 2 56
= =

+
The *uartile coefficient of skewness tells you that the calculator paper scores are slightly negatively
skewed and the non calculator paper scores are positively skewed. 1enerally students have done
better compared to the mean on the calculator paper. /earson6s coefficient of skewness confirms
these results.
2
Symmetric Distribution
Positive Skew
Negative Skew
3
Symmetric
Mean, median, and mode are all the same here; mound shaped, no se!ness (s"mmetri#).
$he a%o&e distri%ution is s"mmetri#.
2. Skewed Left
Mean to the le't o' the median, lon( tail on the le't.
$he a%o&e distri%ution is se!ed to the le't.
3. Skewed Right
Mean to the ri(ht o' the median, lon( tail on the ri(ht.
$he a%o&e distri%ution is se!ed to the ri(ht.
)hen one has &er" se!ed data, it is %etter to use the median as measure o' #entral tenden#" sin#e the
median is not mu#h a''e#ted %" e*treme &alues.
4