RE: Mean and Standard Deviation

[Dale Glaser]

Title: RE: Mean and Standard Deviation

Well, what about the standard normal distribution: N(0,1)?   Dale N. Glaser, Ph.D. Pacific Science & Engineering Group 6310 Greenwich Drive; Suite 200 San Diego, CA 92122 Phone: (858) 535-1661 Fax: (858) 535-1665 http://www.pacific-science.com   -----Original Message----- From: Simon, Steve, PhD [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 3:27 PM To: 'Edward Dreyer'; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Mean and Standard Deviation   Edward Dreyer writes: >A colleague of mine - not a subscriber to this helpful >list - asked me if it is possible for the standard deviation >to be larger than the mean.  If so, under what conditions? > >At first blush I do not think so  --------- but then I believe >I have seen some research results in which standard >deviation was larger than the mean. Well, if the mean is negative, then it is indeed very possible for the standard deviation to be larger. I suspect that you were considering the special case where the variable is non-negative. Then it is still possible for the standard deviation to be larger than the mean. In this special case, it serves as evidence of a highly right skewed distribution. Steve Simon, [EMAIL PROTECTED], Standard Disclaimer. http://www.childrens-mercy.org/stats