Statistical Analysis with Excel For Dummies, 3rd Edition

Chapter 5

Deviating from the Average

In This Chapter

Finding out what variation is all about

Working with variance and standard deviation

Exploring Excel worksheet functions that calculate variation

Using workarounds for missing worksheet functions

Using Additional worksheet functions for variation

Here are three pieces of wisdom about statisticians:

Piece of Wisdom #1: “A statistician is a person who stands in a bucket of ice water, sticks their head in an oven and says ‘on average, I feel fine.’” (K. Dunning)

Piece of Wisdom #2: “A statistician drowned crossing a stream with an average depth of 6 inches.” (Anonymous)

Piece of Wisdom #3: “Three statisticians go deer hunting with bows and arrows. They spot a big buck and take aim. One shoots and his arrow flies off ten feet to the left. The second shoots and his arrow goes ten feet to the right. The third statistician jumps up and down yelling, ‘We got him! We got him!’” (Bill Butz, quoted by Diana McLellan in Washingtonian)

What’s ...