Mean Deviation:

The range and quartile deviation are not based on all observations. They are
positional measures of dispersion. They do not show any scatter of the observations from an
average. The mean deviation is measure of dispersion based on all items in a distribution.

Definition:

Mean deviation is the arithmetic mean of the deviations of a series computed from
any measure of central tendency; i.e., the mean, median or mode, all the deviations are taken
as positive i.e., signs are ignored. According to Clark and Schekade,

“Average deviation is the average amount scatter of the items in a distribution from
either the mean or the median, ignoring the signs of the deviations”.

We usually compute mean deviation about any one of the three averages mean,
median or mode. Sometimes mode may be ill defined and as such mean deviation is
computed from mean and median. Median is preferred as a choice between mean and
median. But in general practice and due to wide applications of mean, the mean deviation is
generally computed from mean. M.D can be used to denote mean deviation.

Coefficient of mean deviation:

Mean deviation calculated by any measure of central tendency is an absolute measure.

For the purpose of comparing variation among different series, a relative mean deviation is
required. The relative mean deviation is obtained by dividing the mean deviation by the
average used for calculating mean deviation.
mean deviation
𝑐o efficient of mean deviation =
mean or median or mode

If the result is desired in percentage, the coefficient of mean deviation

mean
co efficient of mean deviation 1. Calculate the average mean, median or
deviation
mode of the series.
mean or
median
or mode

Computation of mean deviation –

Individual Series:
× 100

2. Take the deviations of items from average ignoring signs and denote these deviations by
|D|.
3. Compute the total of these deviations, i.e., ∑ |D|

4. Divide this total obtained by the number of items.

Symbolically: 𝑀. 𝐷 = ∑|𝐷|
Example 6:

Calculate mean deviation from mean and median for the following data:

100,150,200,250,360,490,500,600,671 also calculate coefficients of M.D.

Solution:

MEAN

;
𝑋̅ = ∑𝑋
𝑁 𝑋
̅

=
3

=
3
6
9
9

MEDIAN

Now arrange the data in ascending order

100, 150, 200, 250, 360, 490, 500, 600, 671

𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 =( 𝑡𝑕
)
 𝑡𝑕 𝑡𝑕
item ;
) 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 )
𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 =(
=(

𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = (5)𝑡𝑕 item 𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 360

X |𝑫| = |𝑿 − |𝑫| = |𝑿 − 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏|

̅
𝑿|
100 269 260

150 219 210

200 169 160

250 119 110

360 9 0

490 121 130

500 131 140

 600 231 240

671 302 311

3321 ∑|𝑫|=1570 ∑|𝑫|=1561

∑|D| n
M. D from mean = 1570
9 = 174.44
M. D from mean =
mean deviation

co efficient of mean deviation = m

e
co efficient of mean deviation =
a
n
1
7
4
.
4
4
369
co efficient of mean deviation = 0.47
∑|D| n
M. D from median =

𝑀. 𝐷 = 1561 = 173.44
9 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝑐𝑜 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛

𝑐𝑜 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 173.44= 0.48

360
Mean Deviation – Discrete series:

Steps: 1. Find out an average (mean, median or mode).

2. Find out the deviation of the variable values from the average, ignoring signs and
denote them by |D|

3. Multiply thedeviation of each value by its respective frequency and find out the
total ∑f | D|

4. Divide Σf | D| by the total frequencies N

𝚺𝐟 | 𝐃|
Symbolically, M.D=

𝑵
Example 7:

Compute Mean deviation from mean and median from the following data:

Height in cms 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166

No. of persons 15 20 32 35 33 22 20 10 8

Also compute coefficient of mean deviation

Solution :

Height No. of persons d = x-A

Fd |D| = |X-mean| f|D|
X F A = 162

158 15 -4 -60 3.51 52.65

159 20 -3 -60 2.51 50.20

160 32 -2 -64 1.51 48.32

161 35 -1 -35 0.51 17.85

162 33 0 0 0.49 16.17

163 22 1 22 1.49 32.78

164 20 2 40 2.49 49.80

165 10 3 30 3.49 34.90

166 8 4 32 4.49 35.92

N=195 ∑fd=-95 ∑f|D|=338.59

 ̅ ∑𝑓𝑑
𝑋=𝐴±

̅ 95
𝑋 = 162 −
195

̅
𝑋 = 162 − 0.49

̅
𝑋 = 161.51

∑
M. D from mean = |
D
M. D from mean = |
n
3
3
8
.
5
9
1
9
5
M. D from mean = 1.74
me
co efficient of mean deviation = an
dev
co efficient of mean deviation = iati
on
me
an
1
.
7
4
1
6
1
.
5
1
co efficient of mean deviation = 0.0108

No. of persons
Height x
f c.f. |D| = |X – Median| f |D|

158 15 15 3 45

159 20 35 2 40

160 32 67 1 32

161 35 102 0 0

162 33 135 1 33

163 22 157 2 44

164 20 177 3 60

165 10 187 4 40

166 8 195 5 40

N=195 ∑ f |D|=334
Median (m) = 𝑁+1 th item
2

Median (m) = 195+1 th item

2

Median (m) = 98 th item

Median (m) = 161

∑
M. D from median =
|
D
M. D from median = |
n
3
3
4
1
9
5
M. D from median = 1.71
me
co efficient of mean deviation = a
n
co efficient of mean deviation = d
e
v
i
a
t
i
o
n
m
e
d
i
a
n
1.71
161
co efficient of mean deviation = 0.0106

Mean deviation-Continuous series:

The method of calculating mean deviation in a continuous series same as the discrete series.
In continuous series we have to find out the mid points of the various classes and take
deviation of these points from the average selected. Thus
𝚺
M.D= 𝐟
|
𝐃
Where |
𝑵

D = M – average

M = Mid point
Example 8:

Find out the mean deviation from mean and median from the following series.

Age in years No. of persons

0-10 20

10-20 25

20-30 32

30-40 40

40-50 42

50-60 35

60-70 10

70-80 8

Also compute co-efficient of mean deviation.

Solution:

d = 𝑴−𝑨
𝑪
X M F Fd | D | = | m – 𝒙̅| f |D|
(A=35, C=10)

0-10 5 20 -3 -60 31.5 630.0

10-20 15 25 -2 -50 21.5 537.5

20-30 25 32 -1 -32 11.5 368.0

30-40 35 40 0 0 1.5 60.0

40-50 45 42 1 42 8.5 357.0

50-60 55 35 2 70 18.5 647.5

60-70 65 10 3 30 28.5 285.0

70-80 75 8 4 32 38.5 308.0

N=212 ∑fd=32 ∑f|D|=3192.5

̅ ∑𝑓𝑑
𝑋=𝐴± ×𝑐
𝑁

̅ 32 × 10
𝑋 = 35 +

212

̅ 320
𝑋 = 35 +

212

̅
𝑋 = 35 + 1.51

̅
𝑋 = 36.51

∑
M. D from mean = |
D
M. D from mean = |
n
3
1
9
2
.
5
2
1
2
M. D from mean = 15.06

co efficient of mean deviation =

co efficient of mean deviation = me
a
n
d
e
v
i
a
t
i
o
n
m
e
a
n
15.06
36.51
co efficient of mean deviation = 0.41
Calculation of median and M.D. from median

X M F c.f |D| = |m-Md| f|D|

0-10 5 20 20 32.25 645.00

10-20 15 25 45 22.25 556.25

20-30 25 32 77 12.25 392.00

30-40 35 40 117 2.25 90.00

40-50 45 42 159 7.75 325.50

50-60 55 35 194 17.75 621.25

60-70 65 10 204 27.75 277.50

70-80 75 8 212 37.75 302.00

N=212 Total 3209.50

𝑁
− 𝑐𝑓

2
𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 𝑙 + ×𝐶
𝑓

𝑁 212 =106 which lies in 30-40

=
2 2

l=30

cf=77

f=40
c=10

106 − 77 × 10
𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 30 +
40
 29 × 10
𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 30 +
40

290
𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 30 + 40

𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 30 + 7.25.

𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 37.25
∑
M. D from median = |
D
|
n

M. D from median = 3209.5 = 15.14

212

me
co efficient of mean deviation = a
n
co efficient of mean deviation = d
e
v
i
a
t
i
o
n
m
e
d
i
a
n
15.14
37.25
co efficient of mean deviation = 0.41
Merits and Demerits of M.D :

Merits:

1. It is simple to understand and easy to compute.

2. It is rigidly defined.

3. It is based on all items of the series.

4. It is not much affected by the fluctuations of sampling.

5. It is less affected by the extreme items.

6. It is flexible, because it can be calculated from any average.

7. It is better measure of comparison.

Demerits:

1. It is not a very accurate measure of dispersion.

2. It is not suitable for further mathematical calculation.

3. It is rarely used. It is not as popular as standard deviation.

Algebraic positive and negative signs are ignored. It is mathematically unsound and illogical.