How to Use the MAD Calculator
Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) measures how spread out data is from its average. Unlike standard deviation, it uses absolute differences instead of squared ones, making it easier to interpret and more robust against outliers.
- Step 1: Calculate the mean of all values.
- Step 2: Find the absolute difference between each value and the mean.
- Step 3: Average those absolute differences. MAD = Ξ£|xα΅’ β xΜ| / n
Example: 2, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9 β Mean = 5 β |deviations| = 3,1,1,1,0,0,2,4 β MAD = 12/8 = 1.5
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a larger MAD better or worse?
Neither β it's a descriptor. A larger MAD means data is more spread out from the mean; smaller MAD means data clusters tightly around the mean.
Can I use decimals?
Yes. Decimal values are fully supported and calculated accurately.
Where is MAD used in practice?
Quality control, financial volatility analysis, weather forecast accuracy, and any field where robust spread measurement is needed.