1. What is Percent Average Deviation?

The Percent Average Deviation (PAD) measures the average absolute deviation of data points from their mean, expressed as a percentage of the mean. It provides a relative measure of variability in a dataset.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the PAD formula:

Where:

• \( x_i \) — Individual data points
• \( \text{mean} \) — Arithmetic mean of the data
• \( n \) — Number of data points
• \( \sum|x_i - \text{mean}| \) — Sum of absolute deviations from the mean

Explanation: The formula first calculates the average absolute deviation, then expresses it as a percentage of the mean.

3. Importance of PAD Calculation

Details: PAD is useful for comparing variability between datasets with different means. It's commonly used in quality control, laboratory analysis, and experimental sciences.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter numbers separated by commas (e.g., 5,10,15,20). The calculator will ignore non-numeric values and calculate PAD for valid numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between PAD and standard deviation?
A: PAD uses absolute deviations while standard deviation uses squared deviations. PAD is easier to interpret but less sensitive to outliers.

Q2: When should I use PAD instead of CV?
A: PAD is preferred when you want to emphasize absolute deviations rather than relative variability. CV (coefficient of variation) is better for comparing variability across different units.

Q3: What does a high PAD value indicate?
A: A high PAD indicates greater variability in your dataset relative to the mean. The interpretation depends on your specific application.

Q4: Can PAD be negative?
A: No, PAD is always non-negative since it's based on absolute deviations.

Q5: How does PAD handle zero mean?
A: PAD is undefined when the mean is zero, as division by zero would occur. The calculator will show an error in this case.