Chi^2 Explained: Better Smaller or Larger Number?

  • Thread starter Kalie
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In summary, Chi-square test is a statistical method used to analyze categorical data and determine the relationship between two variables. The test statistic is calculated by comparing observed and expected frequencies, and a higher value indicates a stronger relationship. A significant result indicates a low probability of chance and that there is a significant relationship between the variables. However, the test is only appropriate for categorical data and cannot be used for continuous data or data measured on a numerical scale.
  • #1
Kalie
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Does anyone know what Chi^2 is? and if the smaller or larger number is better when computing data...I can't find an answer on the web
 
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  • #2
search term

Try typing: chi squared, it gets some results such as http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Chi-SquaredDistribution.html"
 
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  • #3
Kalie said:
Does anyone know what Chi^2 is? and if the smaller or larger number is better when computing data...I can't find an answer on the web
Are you talking about statistics or electro-magnetism?

AM
 
  • #4
Chi^2 tells how FAR the presumed fit is from actually DESCRIBING the data.
Chi^2 _much_ larger than 1 means you have the wrong model ...
 

Related to Chi^2 Explained: Better Smaller or Larger Number?

1. What is Chi-square test?

Chi-square test is a statistical method used to analyze categorical data. It is used to determine whether there is a significant relationship between two variables.

2. How is Chi-square test calculated?

The Chi-square test statistic is calculated by taking the sum of the squared differences between the observed and expected frequencies of the data, divided by the expected frequencies.

3. Is a higher or lower Chi-square value better?

A higher Chi-square value indicates a larger difference between the observed and expected frequencies, and therefore a stronger relationship between the variables. However, the significance of the relationship also depends on the sample size and the degrees of freedom.

4. What does a significant Chi-square result indicate?

A significant Chi-square result indicates that there is a low probability that the observed relationship between the variables is due to chance. This means that there is a significant relationship between the variables being studied.

5. Can Chi-square test be used for all types of data?

No, Chi-square test is only appropriate for categorical data. It cannot be used for continuous data or data that is measured on a numerical scale.

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