Mean Absolute Deviation Calculator

Calculate the average distance between each data point and the mean of a dataset

Input Parameters

Calculation Results

Calculation Formula

MAD = Average |xᵢ - μ|

Where:
xᵢ = each data point
μ = mean of the data
|xᵢ - μ| = absolute deviation of each point

Mean (μ):

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Absolute Deviations:

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Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD):

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Mean Absolute Deviation Calculator Usage Guide

Learn how to use the calculator to analyze data dispersion

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Enter your data values separated by commas (e.g., 4, 8, 6, 5, 3, 9, 7)
  2. Click the "Calculate" button to compute the mean absolute deviation
  3. The calculator will display the mean, all absolute deviations, and the final MAD value
  4. Click "Reset" to clear all inputs and start over

Understanding Mean Absolute Deviation

The Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) is a measure of variability that represents the average distance between each data point and the mean. It provides a perspective on how spread out the values are in a dataset.

Compared to standard deviation, MAD is:

  • Easier to interpret as it uses absolute values
  • More robust to outliers since it doesn't square deviations
  • Often used in business and economics for forecasting

Example

For the dataset 4, 8, 6, 5, 3, 9, 7:

  1. Mean (μ) = 6.0
  2. Absolute deviations from mean: 2.0, 2.0, 0.0, 1.0, 3.0, 3.0, 1.0
  3. MAD = 1.57