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Returns the skewness of a distribution. Skewness characterizes the degree of asymmetry of a distribution around its mean. Positive skewness indicates a distribution with an asymmetric tail extending toward more positive values. Negative skewness indicates a distribution with an asymmetric tail extending toward more negative values.

Syntax

SKEW(number1,number2,...)

Number1, number2 ...   are 1 to 30 arguments for which you want to calculate skewness. You can also use a single array or a reference to an array instead of arguments separated by commas.

Remarks

• Arguments can either be numbers or names, arrays, or references that contain numbers.
• Logical values and text representations of numbers that you type directly into the list of arguments are counted.
• If an array or reference argument contains text, logical values, or empty cells, those values are ignored; however, cells with the value zero are included.
• Arguments that are error values or text that cannot be translated into numbers cause errors.
• If there are fewer than three data points, or the sample standard deviation is zero, SKEW returns the #DIV/0! error value.
• The equation for skewness is defined as:

  

Example

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank worksheet.