Standard deviation calculators on the Internet are not for grouped data

In summary, the conversation discusses the difficulties of calculating standard deviation in a statistics class where students do not have the necessary calculators or knowledge of Excel programming. The speaker has tried various online calculators but they are not suitable for grouped data with a large amount of data points. They ask if there are any alternatives besides programming it themselves and mention a Java-based calculator for sample standard deviation. They also inquire about a similar calculator for population standard deviation.
  • #1
nomadreid
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Homework Statement



I teach a class of statistics with students who often do not have the types of calculators that can calculate standard deviation and who do not know how to program Excel, but do have access to the Internet. Googling "standard deviation calculator" on the Internet gives me calculators which are not for grouped data, so cannot be used to calculate if the data is in a frequency table with a large amount of data points in each category. Any alternatives?, short of programming it myself? (once in Windows Excel, once in Mac Excel)?

Homework Equations



For example,
http://ncalculators.com/statistics/mean-standard-deviation-calculator.htm
http://www.mathsisfun.com/data/standard-deviation-calculator.html
http://easycalculation.com/statistics/standard-deviation.php
https://statistics.laerd.com/calculators/standard-deviation-sample-population-calculator.php
http://www.calculator.net/standard-deviation-calculator.html

The Attempt at a Solution


I have tried to find ways to "tweak" the input, but e.g. multiplying all the data by something gives me a sort of "uncertainty principle": I could get the mean right, but that would throw off the s.d.
 
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  • #3
Looks great, thanks. This is for a sample standard deviation. Anything similar for a population standard deviation?
 

1. What is the difference between grouped and ungrouped data?

Ungrouped data refers to individual data points that have not been organized into categories or intervals. Grouped data, on the other hand, refers to data that has been grouped into categories or intervals.

2. Why are standard deviation calculators on the Internet not suitable for grouped data?

Standard deviation calculators on the Internet are designed to calculate the standard deviation of ungrouped data. They do not take into account the grouping of data and may produce incorrect results if used for grouped data.

3. How can I calculate the standard deviation for grouped data?

To calculate the standard deviation for grouped data, you will need to use a different formula that takes into account the grouping of data. This formula is known as the grouped standard deviation formula and can be found in most statistics textbooks or online resources.

4. What are some potential issues with using standard deviation calculators for grouped data?

Using standard deviation calculators designed for ungrouped data on grouped data can lead to inaccurate results. This can be due to the fact that the calculator does not take into account the grouping of data and may not properly take into account the frequency of each data point.

5. Are there any online resources for calculating standard deviation for grouped data?

Yes, there are several online resources available for calculating standard deviation for grouped data. These resources typically include a calculator or formula and instructions on how to use them properly. It is important to ensure that the resource is specifically designed for grouped data to avoid any potential issues with accuracy.

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