Skewness formula is called so because the graph plotted is displayed in skewed manner. In the unimodal case, the probability density function of a distribution with large kurtosis has fatter tails, compared with the probability density function of a distribution with smaller kurtosis. From the linearity of expected value we have \[ \E\left[(X - \mu)^3\right] = \E\left(X^3\right) - 3 \mu \E\left(X^2\right) + 3 \mu^2 \E(X) - \mu^3 = E\left(X^3\right) - 3 \mu \E\left(X^2\right) + 2 \mu^3 \] The second expression follows from substituting \( \E\left(X^2\right) = \sigma^2 + \mu^2 \). But if you have just a sample, you need the sample skewness: sample skewness: source: D. N. Joanes and C. A. Gill. For this purpose, we will use the XLSTAT Descriptive Statistic s tools. Kurtosis tells you the height and sharpness of the central peak, relative to that of a standard bell curve. Skewness, in basic terms, implies off-centre, so does in statistics, it means lack of symmetry.With the help of skewness, one can identify the shape of the distribution of data. A normal distribution has a kurtosis … I want to calculate the skewness by scanning the data only once. Kurtosis is sensitive to … When calculating sample kurtosis, you need to make a small adjustment to the kurtosis formula: For a very large sample (very high n), the differences between and among n+1, n, n-1, n-2, and n-3 are becoming negligible, and the sample kurtosis formula approximately equals: And therefore approximately equals population kurtosis formula: Sample excess kurtosis formula differs from sample kurtosis formula only by adding a little at the end (adjusting the minus 3 for a sample): For a very large sample, the differences between and among n+1, n, n-1, n-2, and n-3 are becoming negligible, and the sample excess kurtosis formula approximately equals: And therefore approximately equals population excess kurtosis formula: You can easily calculate kurtosis, skewness, and other measures in Excel using the Descriptive Statistics Excel Calculator. In addition to fair dice, there are various types of crooked dice. Skewness formula is called so because the graph plotted is displayed in skewed manner. We study the chi-square distribution elsewhere, but for now note the following values for the kurtosis and skewness: Figure 3 – Comparison of skewness and kurtosis But if you have just a sample, you need the sample skewness: sample skewness: source: D. N. Joanes and C. A. Gill. High kurtosis in a data set is an indicator that data has heavy tails or outliers. Indicator variables are the building blocks of many counting random variables. Indica la atura y el filo del pico central con respecto a la de la curva de la campana estándar. \(\kur(X)\) can be expressed in terms of the first four moments of \(X\). A negative skew indicates that the tail is on the left side of the distribution, which extends towards more negative values. In each case, note the shape of the probability density function in relation to the calculated moment results. 11, 11, 10, 8, 13, 15, 9, 10, 14, 12, 11, 8 ii. Note that the skewness and kurtosis do not depend on the rate parameter \( r \). The formula for skewness is. KURTOSIS. A further characterization of the data includes skewness and kurtosis. The following figure shows a positively skewed distribution. Open the gamma experiment and set \( n = 1 \) to get the exponential distribution. That is, if \( Z \) has the standard normal distribution then \( X = \mu + \sigma Z \) has the normal distribution with mean \( \mu \) and standard deviation \( \sigma \). Excel doesn’t concern itself with whether you have a sample or a population: Escenario Skewness, in basic terms, implies off-centre, so does in statistics, it means lack of symmetry.With the help of skewness, one can identify the shape of the distribution of data. Then. For a unimodal distribution, negative skew commonly indicates that the tail is on the left side of the distribution, and positive skew indicates that the tail is on the right. Macroption is not liable for any damages resulting from using the content. Figure 2 contains the graphs of two chi-square distributions (with different degrees of freedom df). Recall that a fair die is one in which the faces are equally likely. (Again, the mean is the only possible point of symmetry.). The third formula, below, can be found in Sheskin (2000) and is used by SPSS and SAS proc means when specifying the option vardef=df or by default if the vardef option is omitted. “Comparing Measures of Sample Skewness and Kurtosis”. Maths Guide now available on Google Play. Suppose that \(a \in \R\) and \(b \in \R \setminus\{0\}\). Reading 7 LOS 7l. This is based on the distribution of a combined measure of skewness and kurtosis. \[ \kur(X) = \frac{\E\left(X^4\right) - 4 \mu \E\left(X^3\right) + 6 \mu^2 \E\left(X^2\right) - 3 \mu^4}{\sigma^4} = \frac{\E\left(X^4\right) - 4 \mu \E\left(X^3\right) + 6 \mu^2 \sigma^2 + 3 \mu^4}{\sigma^4} \]. Kurtosis and Skewness Statistics Formula - Probability And Estimation. For Example 1. based on using the functions SKEW and KURT to calculate the sample skewness and kurtosis values. You just add up all of the values and divide by the number of items in your data set. The arcsine distribution is studied in more generality in the chapter on Special Distributions. Kurtosis is measured in the following ways: Moment based Measure of kurtosis = β 2 = 4 2 2 Coefficient of kurtosis = γ 2 = β 2 – 3 Illustration Find the first, second, third and fourth orders of moments, skewness and kurtosis of the following: i. Thus, with this formula a perfect normal distribution would have a kurtosis of three. By browsing this … Kurtosis is a measure of whether the data are peaked or flat relative to a normal distribution. Reading 7 LOS 7l. Calculating the Skewness. A test of normality recommended by some authors is the Jarque-Bera test. Open the Brownian motion experiment and select the last zero. Let \( Z = (X - \mu) / \sigma \), the standard score of \( X \). Kurtosis is always positive, since we have assumed that \( \sigma \gt 0 \) (the random variable really is random), and therefore \( \P(X \ne \mu) \gt 0 \). Skewness is a measure of the asymmetry of a distribution.This value can be positive or negative. From the above calculations, it can be concluded that ${\beta_1}$, which measures skewness is almost zero, thereby indicating that the distribution is almost symmetrical. Skewness and kurtosis are two commonly listed values when you run a software’s descriptive statistics function. As usual, our starting point is a random experiment, modeled by a probability space \((\Omega, \mathscr F, P)\). Thus, \( \skw(X) = \E\left[(X - a)^3\right] \big/ \sigma^3 \). Kurtosis formula. The kurtosis can be derived from the following formula: \(kurtosis=\frac{\sum_{i=1}^{N}(x_i-\bar{x})^4}{(N-1)s^4}\) where: σ is the standard deviation \( \bar{x }\) is the mean of the distribution; N is the number of observations of the sample; Kurtosis interpretation. The following exercise gives a more complicated continuous distribution that is not symmetric but has skewness 0. To calculate skewness and kurtosis in R language, moments package is required. Formula for population Kurtosis (Image by Author) Kurtosis has the following properties: Just like Skewness, Kurtosis is a moment based measure and, it is a central, standardized moment. Of course, the fact that \( \skw(X) = 0 \) also follows trivially from the symmetry of the distribution of \( X \) about the mean. Relevance and Uses of Skewness Formula. . Compute each of the following: A three-four flat die is thrown and the score \(X\) is recorded. + x n 3)/n The third is skewness. In order to calculate those two values in advance, I would need to scan the data twice. Kurtosis Formula (Table of Contents) Formula; Examples; What is the Kurtosis Formula? Kurtosis is all about the tails of the distribution — not the peakedness or flatness. The kurtosis, that reflects the characteristics of the tails of a distribution. The "minus 3" at the end of this formula is often explained as a correction to make the kurtosis of the normal distribution equal to zero, as the kurtosis is 3 for a normal distribution. So, a normal distribution will have a skewness of 0. The third and fourth moments of \(X\) about the mean also measure interesting (but more subtle) features of the distribution. In probability theory and statistics, skewness is a measure of the asymmetry of the probability distribution of a real-valued random variable about its mean. For selected values of the parameter, run the simulation 1000 times and compare the empirical density function to the probability density function. “Comparing Measures of Sample Skewness and Kurtosis”. Kurtosis formula. Recall that the standard normal distribution is a continuous distribution on \( \R \) with probability density function \( \phi \) given by, \[ \phi(z) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 \pi}} e^{-\frac{1}{2} z^2}, \quad z \in \R \]. Some authors use the term kurtosis to mean what we have defined as excess kurtosis.. Computational Exercises. Skewness. Suppose that \( X \) has probability density function \( f \) given by \( f(x) = 6 x (1 - x) \) for \( x \in [0, 1] \). You can easily calculate kurtosis in Excel using the Descriptive Statistics Excel Calculator. It is one of a collection of distributions constructed by Erik Meijer. For a sample size of 25, the skewness was -.356 compared to the true value of 0.007 while the kurtosis was -0.025. Recall that the continuous uniform distribution on a bounded interval corresponds to selecting a point at random from the interval. These results follow from the computational formulas for skewness and kurtosis and the general moment formula \( \E\left(X^n\right) = n! In statistics, skewness and kurtosis are two ways to measure the shape of a distribution. The particular probabilities that we use (\( \frac{1}{4} \) and \( \frac{1}{8} \)) are fictitious, but the essential property of a flat die is that the opposite faces on the shorter axis have slightly larger probabilities that the other four faces. A symmetric distribution is unskewed. We will show in below that the kurtosis of the standard normal distribution is 3. If you don't agree with any part of this Agreement, please leave the website now. The beta distribution is studied in detail in the chapter on Special Distributions. Skewness is a measure of the symmetry, or lack thereof, of a distribution. It governs the last time that the Brownian motion process hits 0 during the time interval \( [0, 1] \). . Skewness is a measure of the asymmetry of a distribution.This value can be positive or negative. Find each of the following and then show that the distribution of \( X \) is not symmetric. Suppose that \(X\) has probability density function \( f \) given by \(f(x) = \frac{1}{\pi \sqrt{x (1 - x)}}\) for \(x \in (0, 1) \). Learn more about Minitab . Here are three: A flat die, as the name suggests, is a die that is not a cube, but rather is shorter in one of the three directions. Explain measures of sample skewness and kurtosis. Kurtosis is sensitive to departures from normality on the tails. Skewness and Kurtosis in Statistics The average and measure of dispersion can describe the distribution but they are not sufficient to describe the nature of the distribution. The Agreement also includes Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy. A test of normality recommended by some authors is the Jarque-Bera test. The third formula, below, can be found in Sheskin (2000) and is used by SPSS and SAS proc means when specifying the option vardef=df or by default if the vardef option is omitted. Kurtosis is one of the summary statistics; it is used for describing or estimating a distribution’s peakedness and frequency of extreme values. The Pareto distribution is studied in detail in the chapter on Special Distributions. Skewness – Quick Introduction, Examples & Formulas By Ruben Geert van den Berg under Statistics A-Z. Skewness and Kurtosis in Statistics The average and measure of dispersion can describe the distribution but they are not sufficient to describe the nature of the distribution. Many books say that these two statistics give you insights into the shape of the distribution. / r^n \) for \( n \in \N \). Part (c) follows from symmetry. Missed the LibreFest? Calculator ; Formula Formula Used: Where, is the mean, s is the Standard Deviation, N is the number of data points. Vary the parameters and note the shape of the probability density function in comparison with the moment results in the last exercise. Suppose that \( X \) is a discrete random variable with probability density function \( f \) given by \( f(-3) = \frac{1}{10} \), \( f(-1) = \frac{1}{2} \), \( f(2) = \frac{2}{5} \). It tells about the position of the majority of data values in the distribution around the mean value. Suppose that \(X\) is an indicator variable with \(\P(X = 1) = p\) where \( p \in (0, 1) \). \[ \skw(X) = \frac{\E\left(X^3\right) - 3 \mu \E\left(X^2\right) + 2 \mu^3}{\sigma^3} = \frac{\E\left(X^3\right) - 3 \mu \sigma^2 - \mu^3}{\sigma^3} \]. Watch the recordings here on Youtube! Figure 2 – Example of skewness and kurtosis. m 4 = ∑(x− x̅) 4 / n and m 2 = ∑(x− x̅) 2 / n The term “Kurtosis” refers to the statistical measure that describes the shape of either tail of a distribution, i.e. A symmetrical dataset will have a skewness equal to 0. Because it is the fourth moment, Kurtosis is always positive. whole population, then g1 above is the measure of skewness. Find each of the following: Suppose that \( X \) has probability density function \( f \) given by \( f(x) = 12 x^2 (1 - x) \) for \( x \in [0, 1] \). These results follow from the computational formulas for skewness and kurtosis and the general moment formula \( \E\left(X^n\right) = n! The exponential distribution is studied in detail in the chapter on the Poisson Process. Select each of the following, and note the shape of the probability density function in comparison with the computational results above. Open the special distribution simulator and select the normal distribution. Any information may be inaccurate, incomplete, outdated or plain wrong. Sample Skewness, Kurtosis for grouped data Formula & Examples We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you relevant advertising. If you don’t want to go through the lengthy derivation and explanation below, the formulas are here: Population Skewness Formula Therefore, the skewness of the distribution is -0.39, which indicates that the data distribution is approximately symmetrical. Open the dice experiment and set \( n = 1 \) to get a single die. You can easily calculate skewness in Excel using the Descriptive Statistics Excel Calculator. Open the special distribution simulator and select the Pareto distribution. A negative skew indicates that the tail is on the left side of the … As usual, we assume that all expected values given below exist, and we will let \(\mu = \E(X)\) and \(\sigma^2 = \var(X)\). Note tht \( (X - \mu)^3 = X^3 - 3 X^2 \mu + 3 X \mu^2 - \mu^3 \). [ "article:topic", "kurtosis", "license:ccby", "authorname:ksiegrist", "skewness" ], https://stats.libretexts.org/@app/auth/2/login?returnto=https%3A%2F%2Fstats.libretexts.org%2FBookshelves%2FProbability_Theory%2FBook%253A_Probability_Mathematical_Statistics_and_Stochastic_Processes_(Siegrist)%2F04%253A_Expected_Value%2F4.04%253A_Skewness_and_Kurtosis, \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{var}}\) \(\newcommand{\sd}{\text{sd}}\) \(\newcommand{\skw}{\text{skew}}\) \(\newcommand{\kur}{\text{kurt}}\) \(\renewcommand{\P}{\mathbb{P}}\) \(\newcommand{\E}{\mathbb{E}}\) \(\newcommand{\R}{\mathbb{R}}\) \(\newcommand{\N}{\mathbb{N}}\), \( \skw(a + b X) = \skw(X) \) if \( b \gt 0 \), \( \skw(a + b X) = - \skw(X) \) if \( b \lt 0 \), \(\skw(X) = \frac{1 - 2 p}{\sqrt{p (1 - p)}}\), \(\kur(X) = \frac{1 - 3 p + 3 p^2}{p (1 - p)}\), \( \E(X) = \frac{a}{a - 1} \) if \( a \gt 1 \), \(\var(X) = \frac{a}{(a - 1)^2 (a - 2)}\) if \( a \gt 2 \), \(\skw(X) = \frac{2 (1 + a)}{a - 3} \sqrt{1 - \frac{2}{a}}\) if \( a \gt 3 \), \(\kur(X) = \frac{3 (a - 2)(3 a^2 + a + 2)}{a (a - 3)(a - 4)}\) if \( a \gt 4 \), \( \var(X) = \E(X^2) = p (\sigma^2 + \mu^2) + (1 - p) (\tau^2 + \nu^2) = \frac{11}{3}\), \( \E(X^3) = p (3 \mu \sigma^2 + \mu^3) + (1 - p)(3 \nu \tau^2 + \nu^3) = 0 \) so \( \skw(X) = 0 \), \( \E(X^4) = p(3 \sigma^4 + 6 \sigma^2 \mu^2 + \mu^4) + (1 - p) (3 \tau^4 + 6 \tau^2 \nu^2 + \nu^4) = 31 \) so \( \kur(X) = \frac{279}{121} \approx 2.306 \). If a distribution is symmetric, the next question is about the central peak: is it high and sharp, or short and broad? This page explains the formula for kurtosis, excess kurtosis, sample kurtosis, and sample excess kurtosis. Setting up the dialog box for computing skewness and kurtosis. Arithmetic Average Advantages and Disadvantages, Arithmetic Average: When to Use It and When Not, Why Arithmetic Average Fails to Measure Average Percentage Return over Time, Why You Need Weighted Average for Calculating Total Portfolio Return, Calculating Variance and Standard Deviation in 4 Easy Steps, Population vs. The excess kurtosis formula therefore is: The kurtosis and excess kurtosis formulas above are for population kurtosis (when your data set includes the whole population). Outliers stretch the horizontal axis of the histogram graph, which makes the bulk of the data appear in a narrow (“skinny”) vertical range, thereby giving the “skinniness” of a leptokurtic distribution. In probability theory and statistics, skewness is a measure of the asymmetry of the probability distribution of a real-valued random variable about its mean. . The term "skewness" as applied to a probability distribution seems from an initial look to originate with Karl Pearson, 1895$^{\text{[1]}}$.He begins by talking about asymmetry.. Leptokurtic (Kurtosis > 3): Distribution is longer, tails are fatter. Next, we subtract 3 from the sample kurtosis and get the excess kurtosis. Vary \( p \) and note the change in the shape of the probability density function. Recall from the section on variance that the standard score of \( a + b X \) is \( Z \) if \( b \gt 0 \) and is \( -Z \) if \( b \lt 0 \). To calculate the skewness, we have to first find the mean and variance of the given data. Explain measures of sample skewness and kurtosis. The only difference between formula 1 and formula 2 is the -3 in formula 1. We will compute and interpret the skewness and the kurtosis on time data for each of the three schools. Video explaining what is Skewness and the measures of Skewness. Recall that an indicator random variable is one that just takes the values 0 and 1. For this purpose, we will use the XLSTAT Descriptive Statistic s tools. Kurtosis •For a normal distribution, kurtosis is equal to 3. Let \( X = I U + (1 - I) V \). ${\beta_2}$ Which measures kurtosis, has a value greater than 3, thus implying that the distribution is leptokurtic. Run the simulation 1000 times and compare the empirical density function to the probability density function. The particular beta distribution in the last exercise is also known as the (standard) arcsine distribution. Thus,\(\text {excess kurtosis} = 0.7861 – 3 = -2.2139\) Since the excess kurtosis is negative, we have a platykurtic distribution. Setting up the dialog box for computing skewness and kurtosis. Peak is higher and sharper than Mesokurtic, which means that data are heavy-tailed or profusion of outliers. Methods and formulas for Descriptive Statistics. Continuous uniform distributions arise in geometric probability and a variety of other applied problems. Calculating the Skewness. However, it is worth noting that the formula used for kurtosis in these programs actually calculates what is sometimes called "excess kurtosis" - put simply, the formula includes an adjustment so that a normal distribution has a kurtosis of zero. However, it's best to work with the random variables. Send me a message. It is used to describe the extreme values in one versus the other tail. It takes less than a minute. Kurtosis. All»Tutorials and Reference»Statistics for Finance, You are in Tutorials and Reference»Statistics for Finance. But let us give one 'plug-in formula' here and now. This calculator computes the skewness and kurtosis of a distribution or data set. Here, x̄ is the sample mean. On the other hand, if the slope is negative, skewness changes sign. This formula is identical to the formula, to find the sample mean. In each case, run the experiment 1000 times and compare the empirical density function to the probability density function. Suppose that \( U \), \( V \), and \( I \) are independent random variables, and that \( U \) is normally distributed with mean \( \mu = -2 \) and variance \( \sigma^2 = 1 \), \( V \) is normally distributed with mean \( \nu = 1 \) and variance \( \tau^2 = 2 \), and \( I \) is an indicator variable with \( \P(I = 1) = p = \frac{1}{3} \). Find. Run the simulation 1000 times and compare the empirical density function to the probability density function. Select the parameter values below to get the distributions in the last three exercises. Then. Skewness and Kurtosis A fundamental task in many statistical analyses is to characterize the location and variability of a data set. We will compute and interpret the skewness and the kurtosis on time data for each of the three schools. Kurtosis equals three for a normal distribution; excess kurtosis calculates and expresses kurtosis above or below 3. The kurtosis of \(X\) is the fourth moment of the standard score: \[ \kur(X) = \E\left[\left(\frac{X - \mu}{\sigma}\right)^4\right] \]. Suppose that the distribution of \(X\) is symmetric about \(a\). ... Kurtosis is one measure of how different a distribution is from the normal distribution. For selected values of the parameters, run the experiment 1000 times and compare the empirical density function to the true probability density function. Kurtosis tells you the height and sharpness of the central peak, relative to that of a standard bell curve. Skewness is a measure used in statistics that helps reveal the asymmetry of a probability distribution. For a unimodal distribution, negative skew commonly indicates that the tail is on the left side of the distribution, and positive skew indicates that the tail is on the right. The Statistician 47(1):183–189. The deviation from the mean for ith observation equals: The second moment about the mean is the sum of each value’s squared deviation from the mean, divided by the number of values: It is the same formula as the one you probably know as variance (σ2): The fourth moment about the mean is the sum of each value’s deviation from the mean raised to the power of 4, which (the whole sum) is then divided by the number of values: The direct kurtosis formula (ratio of the fourth moment and the second moment squared) therefore is: The n’s in the denominators cancel out and this is the final nice version of population kurtosis formula: Very often kurtosis is quoted in the form of excess kurtosis (kurtosis relative to normal distribution kurtosis). Then. We will show in below that the kurtosis of the standard normal distribution is 3. When the excess kurtosis is around 0, or the kurtosis equals is around 3, the tails' kurtosis level is similar to the normal distribution. The distributions in this subsection belong to the family of beta distributions, which are continuous distributions on \( [0, 1] \) widely used to model random proportions and probabilities. 11, 11, 10, 8, 13, 15, 9, 10, 14, 12, 11, 8 ii. For selected values of the parameter, run the experiment 1000 times and compare the empirical density function to the true probability density function. Find each of the following: Open the special distribution simulator and select the beta distribution. Vary the rate parameter and note the shape of the probability density function in comparison to the moment results in the last exercise. Open the special distribution simulator, and select the continuous uniform distribution. Looking at S as representing a distribution, the skewness of S is a measure of symmetry while kurtosis is a measure of peakedness of the data in S. Formula for population Kurtosis (Image by Author) Kurtosis has the following properties: Just like Skewness, Kurtosis is a moment based measure and, it is a central, standardized moment. The third moment measures skewness, the lack of symmetry, while the fourth moment measures kurtosis, roughly a measure of the fatness in the tails. More generally, for \(\mu \in \R\) and \(\sigma \in (0, \infty)\), recall that the normal distribution with mean \(\mu\) and standard deviation \(\sigma\) is a continuous distribution on \(\R\) with probability density function \( f \) given by \[ f(x) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2 \pi} \sigma} \exp\left[-\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{x - \mu}{\sigma}\right)^2\right], \quad x \in \R \] However, we also know that \( \mu \) and \( \sigma \) are location and scale parameters, respectively. 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Listed values when you run a software ’ s Descriptive Statistics function computational formulas for skewness and.... Skewness – Quick Introduction, Examples & formulas by Ruben Geert van den Berg under Statistics A-Z population kurtosis a... First find the mean is the fourth moment, kurtosis is sensitive to departures normality. Advance, I would need to estimate population kurtosis from a sample or a population: Maths Guide available... Last exercise is also known as skewness and kurtosis values ( a \in \R\ ) and ( b were... Ruben Geert van den Berg under Statistics A-Z standard bell curve each of probability... Data are peaked or flat relative skewness and kurtosis formula a normal distribution is heavy-tailed ( presence outliers! X 2 3 + best to work with the moment results – Quick Introduction, Examples & by... Whether the distribution of \ ( X\ ) is recorded indicates to what extent a variable is asymmetrically distributed kurtosis. Scale parameter for the skewness and kurtosis if the slope is negative, skewness and kurtosis are commonly... Derived before different degrees of freedom df ) in terms of the symmetry or..., it 's best to work with the moment results in the last three Exercises following, and the. Three for a normal distribution variety of other applied problems tht \ ( r \ ) is.... Value can be expressed in terms of the asymmetry of a standard curve! 1246120, 1525057, and 1413739 t have data for the whole population, then above! Compute each of the following: a three-four flat die is thrown and the measures of skewness... 'S invariant skewness and kurtosis formula linear transformations and the standard deviation failure times and compare the empirical density function to the probability! The shape of the symmetry, or undefined given data = I U + ( 1 / r )... 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And set \ ( X\ ) is recorded have a sample the moment results inaccurate, incomplete outdated! An indicator random variable is really random Statistics formula - probability and a variety of other applied.! Distribution — not the peakedness or flatness which the faces are equally likely please leave website. Irrespective of signs the given data figure 2 contains the graphs of two chi-square (.