absolute deviation
"Absolute deviation" is a statistical measure used to quantify variability by assessing the distance of data points from a central value, without considering direction.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1Statistics
(technical, academic)The absolute value of the difference between a data point and a central value, such as the mean or median.
Example
- The absolute deviation helps in understanding the spread of data points around the mean.
- If the mean of a dataset is 10 and a data point is 7, the absolute deviation is 3.
B2Target Shooting
(technical)The shortest distance between the center of the target and the point where the projectile hit.
Example
- In target shooting, a smaller absolute deviation indicates greater accuracy.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "absolute deviation":