Module 5: Measures of Skewness

Learning Outcomes:
a. Apply the concept of skewness in identifying the performance of the students
b. Solve for the skewness of a set of data
c. Determine the percentage of the given standard deviation with reference to the normal curve.

Measures of Skewness
- Describes the degree of departure of scores from the symmetry
- Formula to find the skewness coefficient SK:
̅−𝒙
𝟑(𝒙 ̃)
𝑺𝑲 = where 𝒙
̅ = mean value and 𝒙
̃ = median value; and s = standard deviation.
𝒔

Classification of Skewness according to Skewness Coefficient (SK)

Positvely Skewed Negatively Skewed Normal Distribution
Sk > 0 Sk < 0 Sk = 0
Skewed to the right; Skewed to the left; The scores are normally
This means that the thin end tail of The tin end tail of the curve goes to distributed
the curve goes to the right part of the left part of the distribution
the distribution
Most of the scores are low; hence Most of the scores are high; hence, It is symmetrical to the
most of the students got scores most of the students got scores mean; the end tails of the
below the mean value above the mean value curve can be extended
indefinitely in both side and
symptotic to the horizontal
line

Positvely Skewed Negatively Skewed Normal Distribution

Sk > 0 Sk < 0 Sk = 0
Mean value is greater than the Mean value is less than the median The value of the mean,
median an the mode and the mode value median and mode are equal
Poor performance of the students; Outstanding performance of the Most of the students got a
this could be attributed to the students; the performance of the score within the mean value;
following: students could be attributed to the hence most of the students
1. Ineffective methods of following: have average performance.
teaching and instruction 1. The group of students are About 68.26% of the
2. Students are not ready to intelligent; students in the group have
take the examination 2. There is enough time to average performance.
3. Test items are very finish the examination
difficult 3. Very easy test
4. The time given to answer 4. Effective instruction
the test is not enough 5. Students prepared
themselves for the
examination
Example:
Find the coefficient of Skewness of the scores of 30 grade 5 pupils in a 75 item test in Mathematics
wit the mean of 68 and the median of 52 with standard deviation of 14.
̅−𝒙
𝟑(𝒙 ̃) 3(68 − 52) 3(16) 48
𝑺𝑲 = = = = = 3.428571 ≈ 3.43
𝒔 14 14 14
Analysis:
The computed coefficient of skewness is 3.43. The value of sk is positive, meaning the score
distribution is positively skewed. Most of the scores are low, this means that the students did not performed
well in the said examination.

Normal Distribution
- It is a special kind symmetric distribution and it represents some properties in mathematics
- It is very important when comparing between scores and making statistical decisions\
- Properties:
o Curve has a single peak, meaning the distribution is unimodal
o It is bell-shaped curve
o It is symmetrical to the mean
o The end tails of the cruve can be extended indefinitely in both sides and symptotic to the
horizontal line
o The shape of the curve will depend otn the value of the mean nd the standard deviation.
o The total area under the curve is 1.0. hence the area of the curve in each side of the mean
is 0.5

Areas under the Normal Curve

Question: Using the Normal curve above, determine the percentage between the following:
1. 2SD and 3SD
2. -3SD and 1SD
Answer:

1. = 2.14%

2.
2.14% + 13.59% + 34.13% + 34.13% = 83.99%
Module 6: Describing Individual Performance

Learning Outcomes:
a. Convert raw scores to standard scores
b. Describe individual performance using standard scores (z – scores, T-scores, Standard Nine and
Percentile Rank)

Z – score
- Is used to convert raw score to standard score to determine how far a raw score lies form the
mean in standard deviation units.
- We can determine whether an individual student performs well I nthe examination compared to
the performance of the whole class.
- A negative value of z is where raw score is below the mean while positive value of z is where
raw score is above the mean.
- Formula for raw score is:
𝑟𝑎𝑤 𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 − 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛
𝑧=
𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

Example:
Using the data below about Cedie’s score in Mathematics, English and Science, solve for the z-score
value of each subject.
Subject Cedie’s Score Mean Standard Deviation
Mathematics 92 88 5.15
English 86 75 6.22
Science 65 87 4.13

92 − 88 4
𝑧𝑀𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠 = = = 0.7766 ≈ 0.78
5.15 5.15
86 − 75 11
𝑧𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ = = = 1.768488 ≈ 1.77
6.22 6.22
65 − 87 −22
𝑧𝑆𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = = = −5.32687 ≈ −5.33
4.13 4.13
Analysis:
Cedie performed well in English since it has the highest z-score than the other two subjects. While
Cedie performed poorly in Science since it has the lowest computed value for z-score.
T-Score
- It is another type of standard score where the mean is 50 and the standard deviation is 10.
- To convert raw score to T-score, find first the z-score equivalent of the raw score and use the
formula: T-score = 10z + 50
Example:
Using the data below about Cedie’s score in Mathematics, English and Science, solve for the z-score
value of each subject.

Subject Cedie’s Score Mean Standard Z – Score

Deviation
Mathematics 92 88 5.15 0.78
English 86 75 6.22 1.77
Science 65 87 4.13 -5.33

𝑇𝑀𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑠 = 10(0.78) + 50 = 57.8

𝑇𝐸𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ = 10(1.77) + 50 = 64.4

𝑇𝑆𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 10(−5.33) + 50 = −3.3

Analysis:
Cedie performed well in English since it
has the highest t-score than the other two
subjects. While Cedie performed poorly in Science
since it has the lowest computed value for t-score.
Standard Nine
- It is a nine-point grading scale ranging from 1 to 9, 1 being the lowest and 9 being the highest.
Range Position in
Percentage of
Stanine (z-score Normal Description
Scores
value) Distribution
1 - 1.75 below -4 4% Very Poor
2 -1.25 to -1.75 -3 7% Poor Below
3 -0.75 to -1.25 -2 12% Below average average
4 -0.25 to -0.75 -1 17% Slightly below average
5 0.25 to -0.25 0 20% Average Average
6 0.25 to 0.75 1 17% Slightly above average
7 0.75 to 1.25 2 12% Considerable above
average Above
8 1.25 to 1.75 3 7% Superior average
9 1.75 above 4 4% Very superior

How to interpret using Standard nine:

1. Solve for the z-score
2. Find the stanine equivalent of the range or z-score, its position in the normal distribution, percentage of score
and its description
Example: Complete the table below, find the stanine, position in the normal distribution, percentage of score and its
description. (Number 1 is done for you. Do number 2 and 3 as your exercise)
Position in
Z – Score /
Student Score Mean SD Stanine the Normal Percentage Description
Range
Distribution
S.A.A /
1 Amy 93 92 2.5 0.4 6 1 17
Average
2 Ben 96 93 3
3 Ced 96 97 2.75

Solution:
𝑟𝑎𝑤 𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 − 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 93 − 92 1
𝑧1 = = = = 0.4
𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 2.5 2.5
Percentile Rank
- It indicates the percentage of scores that lies below a given score.
- It is commonly used to clarify the interpretation of scores on standardized tests
- In solving percentile rank, use the formula
𝐶𝐹𝑏 + 0.5𝐹𝑔
𝑃𝑅 = ( ) × 100
𝑛

Where:
PR = percentile rank
CFb = cumulative frequency below the given scores
Fg = frequency of the given score
n = number of scores in the distribution.
Steps in Solving Percentile Rank:
1. Arrange the test scores from highest to lowest and make a frequency distribution of each score and the
number of students obtaining each score
2. Find the cumulative frequency by adding the score from the least to highest
3. Find the percentile rank.
Example:
The table below shows a summary of the scores of 40 students in a 45 – item multiple choice test. Find and
interpret the percentile rank of the scores below. (Number 1 is done for you. Do number 2 and 3 as your exercise)
Test Scores Frequency
45 1 1. Score : 45
44 6
2. Score :39
43 14
42 9 3. Score: 42
41 5
40 2
39 3
Total 40

Step 1:

Test Scores Frequency

45 1
44 6
43 14
42 9
41 5
40 2
39 3
Total 40
Step 2:
Test Scores Frequency Cumulative Frequency
45 1 40
44 6 39
43 14 33
42 9 19
41 5 10
40 2 5
39 3 3
Total 40
Step 3:
1. Score : 45
39 + 0.5 (1) Interpretation: a raw score of 45 is equal to
𝑃𝑅 = ( ) × 100
40 percentile rank 99. This means that
39.5)
𝑃𝑅 = ( ) × 100 99% of the students who took the
40
𝑃𝑅 = 98.75 ≈ 99 examination had raw scores equal to
or lower than 45.