7.9.
2022
Prof. Seema Daud
Describing Data
Application or Use of Mean
& Standard Deviation in
Data Description & Analysis
Prof. Seema Daud
Head, Department of Community Medicine
1. SD is used to quantify the amount
of variation or dispersion of a set of
data values (observations) from the
mean.
• A low standard deviation indicates
that the data values are close to the
mean value of the set.
• A high standard deviation indicates
that the data values are spread out
over a wider range from the mean
value.
2. SD is used to calculate Coefficient of
Variation (CV)
CV: Standard Deviation x 100
Mean
Department of Community Medicine (LMDC)
Application or Use of Mean &
Standard Deviation
Descriptive Statistics:
1. To quantify the amount of variation or
dispersion of a set of data values (observations)
from the mean
2. To calculate Coefficient of Variation (CV)
3. To calculate unit-free Normalized or
Standardized data score (z score)
Analytical or Inferential Statistics:
4. To calculate the Standard Error of Mean (SEM)
Standard Deviation (SD)
Represented by:
Greek letter sigma σ (Parameter) or
Latin letter s or sd (Statistics)
Σ (x – x )2
n
Or if sample size ≤ 30
Σ (x – x )2
n–1
• CV expresses the variation relative to
the mean
• Expresses sd as a ratio of mean,
usually presented as %
• Used to compare unit free variability
in two groups when the two groups
have different means or different
units of measurement
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 7.9.2022
Prof. Seema Daud

Example of CV Example of CV
Data 1: Data 2: Test 1 Test 2
Mean = 59.9 Mean = 44.8 (MCQs) (Alternate
sd= 10.2 sd= 12.7 Choices)
CV: CV: Mean Score 59.9 44.8
. Standard 10.2 12.7
.
x 100 x 100 Deviation
. .
CV 17.03% 28.35%
= 17.03% = 28.35% Interpretation:
Compared with test 1, test 2 has higher amount
of variation in scores

3. SD is used to calculate unit-free Normalized or Interpretation of z-scores

Standardized data score)
• This can be done by calculating:
unit free z score, also called Standard Normal
Deviate (SND) or Normal Deviate (ND)
• Z score indicates how many standard deviations an
observation is from the mean.
• x–x
sd
• It provides the position of an observation (x) in a
sample from the mean of the sample (x ) in terms of
standard deviation
• A z-score equal to 0 represents an observation equal to
the mean.
• A z-score equal to +1, represents an observation that is 1
standard deviation greater than the mean;
• A z-score equal to +2, represents an observation that is 2
standard deviations greater than the mean;
• A z-score equal to –1 represents an element that is 1
standard deviation less than the mean;
• A z-score equal to –2 is 2 standard deviations less than
the mean; etc.
• A z score of more than +2 or less than –2 means that
the observed value is not part of the sample or group
being studied

Example: z score Example: z score

Mean pulse rate of a sample of women was:
72/min with a sd of 3.5.
A. Where would you place a woman’s pulse rate of
74/min in comparison with the mean pulse rate?
B. Is a pulse rate of 74/min normal for this group?
z = x – x = 74 – 72 = 2 = 0.57
sd 3.5 3.5
A. Woman’s pulse rate is 0.57 sd above mean.
B. As 0.57 is less than 2, therefore a pulse rate of 74
is normal for this group.
You took the SAT and scored 1026. The mean
score for the SAT is 1100 and the standard
deviation is 209.
A. Where would you place your score in
comparison with the mean SAT score?
z = x – x = 1026 – 1100 = – 74 = – 0.354
sd 209 209
Ans:
Your score is 0.35 sd below the mean

Department of Community Medicine (LMDC) 2

 7.9.2022
Prof. Seema Daud

4. SD is used to calculate the Standard

Error of Mean (SEM)

• This comes under analytical stats

• It is represented by the formula:

SEM = sd
n

Department of Community Medicine (LMDC) 3