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Definition of 'Descriptive Statistics'
A set of brief descriptive coefficients that summarizes a given data set, which can either be a representation of the entire population or a sample. The measures used to describe the data set are measures of central tendency and measures of variability or dispersion.
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Investopedia explains 'Descriptive Statistics'
Measures of central tendency include the mean, median and mode, while measures of variability include the standard deviation (or variance), the minimum and maximum variables, kurtosis and skewness.
Descriptive statistics provide a useful summary of security returns when performing empirical and analytical analysis, as they provide a historical account of return behavior. Although past information is useful in any analysis, one should always consider the expectations of future events.
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