Interquartile Range: A Statistical Measure of Variability
The interquartile range (IQR) is a measure of variability in a set of data that is commonly used in statistical analysis. It is the difference between the upper and lower quartiles of a data set, and is often used to detect outliers and assess the distribution of the data. While the concept is relatively straightforward, its applications and implications are far-reaching and can be used to draw many meaningful conclusions from data sets. This article will discuss the definition of the IQR, its calculation, and its implications.
Definition
The interquartile range is defined as the difference between the upper and lower quartiles of a given data set. Generally, the lower quartile, or Q1, is the median of the lower half of the data set, and the upper quartile, or Q3, is the median of the upper half of the data set. The IQR is calculated by subtracting Q1 from Q3. As a measure of variability, IQR is not affected by the direction of the data, meaning it is not affected by whether the values are increasing or decreasing.
Calculation
The IQR can be calculated by first arranging the data in a numerical order. Then, the median of the lower half of the data set is found, which is the lower quartile (Q1). The median of the upper half of the data set is the upper quartile (Q3), and the IQR is calculated by subtracting Q1 from Q3.
Implications
The IQR is a measure of variability, and it is often used to detect outliers in a data set. Outliers can distort the data set and affect the validity of the results, so it is important to identify and remove them if possible. The IQR can be used to identify outliers; any data point that is more than 1.5 times the IQR above or below the upper and lower quartiles, respectively, is considered an outlier.
In addition to detecting outliers, the IQR can be used to determine the shape of the data set. A data set with a low IQR is said to have a “tight” distribution, while a data set with a high IQR is said to have a “loose” distribution. A “normal” distribution is typically in the middle of these two extremes.
Conclusion
The interquartile range is an important measure of variability in data sets. It is used to detect outliers and assess the shape of the data set, and can be used to draw meaningful conclusions from data sets. Although the concept is relatively straightforward, its applications and implications are far-reaching.
References
Khan, A. (2016). Interquartile Range (IQR). Retrieved from https://www.statisticshowto.datasciencecentral.com/interquartile-range/
Kotz, S., & Read, C. B. (2018). Encyclopedia of statistical sciences (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Moore, D. S. (2012). The basic practice of statistics (6th ed.). New York, NY: W. H. Freeman.