Understanding the degrees of freedom of sample variance by using Microsoft Excel. (16th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ding, Jian‐Hua; Jin, Xian‐Wen; Shuai, Ling‐Ying
• Is Part Of: Teaching statistics. Volume 39:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 92
• Page End: 95
• Publication Date: 2017-07-16
• Subjects: Teaching -- Degrees of freedom -- Excel -- Simulation; Statistics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- Periodicals; Statistics -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Periodicals; 373
• DOI: 10.1111/test.12134
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-982X

Abstract

Summary: In this article, the degrees of freedom of the sample variance are simulated by using the Visual Basic for Applications of Microsoft Excel 2010. The simulation file dynamically displays why the sample variance should be calculated by dividing the sum of squared deviations by n ‐1 rather than n, which is helpful for students to grasp the meaning of degrees of freedom.