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Statistical Symbols for Population Parameters

This document defines common statistical symbols used to describe populations and samples. It provides symbols for measures of center (mean, median, proportion), spread (variance, standard deviation, range, interquartile range), and relative standing (z-score). It also defines symbols for describing bivariate data (correlation coefficient, slope, intercept) and normal distributions (mean, variance, standard deviation). Population parameters are usually unknown and fixed values, while sample statistics vary from sample to sample and are used to estimate population parameters.

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456 views1 page

Statistical Symbols for Population Parameters

This document defines common statistical symbols used to describe populations and samples. It provides symbols for measures of center (mean, median, proportion), spread (variance, standard deviation, range, interquartile range), and relative standing (z-score). It also defines symbols for describing bivariate data (correlation coefficient, slope, intercept) and normal distributions (mean, variance, standard deviation). Population parameters are usually unknown and fixed values, while sample statistics vary from sample to sample and are used to estimate population parameters.

Uploaded by

geopp2
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Statistical Symbols

Population - parameter Sample - statistic


size: N n
center:
mean  “mu” x “x bar”
median n/a M or ~x “x tilde”
proportion  “pi” p
(p in text) ( p̂ in text)
spread:
variance 2 “sigma squared” s2 “s squared” = (x - x )2/(n - 1)
standard deviation  “sigma” s
range n/a n/a
interquartile range n/a IQR = Q3 - Q1

relative standing:
z score = (x - mean)/sd Z z
the # of sd’s from the mean

for bivariate data:


correlation coefficient  “rho” r
slope 1 “beta 1” b1
intercept 0 “beta naught” b0
These are fixed numbers, These vary from sample to sample.
usually unknown. We use them to estimate the
population parameters.

Standard Normal Distribution Notation: Z ~ N(0,12)  Z, a random variable, is distributed normally with
mean,  = 0, variance, 2 = 12, and standard deviation,  = 1.

Non-Standard Normal Distribution: X ~ N(x,x2)  X, a random variable, is distributed normally with


mean, , variance, 2, and standard deviation, .

Sampling Distribution of the Sample Mean from a Normal Population: X n ~ N(x, x2/n)  X n, a
random variable calculated from a sample of size n, is distributed normally with mean,  X = x (the mean
of the parent population), variance,  X = x2/n and standard deviation,  X = x/ n .
2

 (1   )
Sampling Distribution of the Sample Proportion: pn ~ N(, )  pn, a random variable, is
n
 (1   )  (1   )
distributed normally with mean,  p = , variance,  p 2 = and standard deviation, p = .
n n

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