1. What is Range in Statistics?

The range is the simplest measure of statistical dispersion, representing the difference between the largest and smallest values in a dataset. It provides a quick indication of the spread of the data.

2. How Does the Range Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the range formula:

Where:

• Maximum Value — The highest value in the dataset
• Minimum Value — The lowest value in the dataset

Explanation: The range gives the total spread of the data from the smallest to the largest observation.

3. Importance of Range Calculation

Details: Range calculation is fundamental in descriptive statistics as it provides a quick measure of variability. While simple to calculate, it's sensitive to outliers and doesn't provide information about the distribution of values between the extremes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the maximum and minimum values from your dataset. Both values must be numerical, and the maximum value must be greater than or equal to the minimum value.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are the limitations of using range?
A: Range is highly sensitive to outliers and doesn't describe the distribution of values within the dataset. It only considers the two extreme values.

Q2: When is range most useful?
A: Range is most useful for small datasets without extreme outliers, or when a quick, simple measure of spread is needed.

Q3: How does range compare to other measures of dispersion?
A: Unlike standard deviation or interquartile range, the range doesn't provide information about how data is distributed between the minimum and maximum values.

Q4: Can range be negative?
A: No, range cannot be negative since it represents the difference between maximum and minimum values (max ≥ min).

Q5: What units does range have?
A: Range has the same units as the original data values from which it was calculated.