Incorporate mean absolute deviation

[hasenbaj@gmail.com]

The Measure menu for graphs of numerical data include the option to display the Standard Deviation (SD). The SD is also provided as one of the Statistical Functions available in the Attribute Formula menu (“Insert Function”).

The middle school content standards rely heavily on the Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) as a simpler, more age-appropriate standing for the SD as a measure of variability. Here, MAD = sum(abs(x_i – mean))/n.

For CODAP to be most useful for use in lessons with middle school students, it would be nice if MAD could be included as an alternative to the SD on the Measure menu and as one of the Statistical Functions available for creating Attribute Formulas. Thanks for considering!

[hasenbaj@gmail.com]

Links to relevant math standards:

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/6/SP/B/5/c/

http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/7/SP/B/3/

 

 

[Bill Finzer]

Thanks for pointed out that the MAD is part of middle school common core. I’ll enter feature requests for both displaying it on a graph and for a function to compute it.

[Author]

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