Calc Guide

For more flexibility in similar operations, you could use LARGE or
SMALL, both of which add a specialized argument of rank. If the rank
is 1 used with LARGE, you get the same result as you would with MAX.
However, if the rank is 2, then the result is the second largest result.
Similarly, a rank of 2 used with SMALL gives you the second smallest
number. Both LARGE and SMALL are handy as a permanent control,
since, by changing the rank argument, you can quickly scan multiple
results.
You would need to be an expert to want to find the Poisson Distribution
of a sample, or to find the skew or negative binomial of a distribution
(and, if you are, you will find functions in Calc for such things).
However, for the rest of us, there are simpler statistical functions that
you can quickly learn to use.
In particular, if you need an average, you have a number to choose
from. You can find the arithmetical means—that is, the result when you
add all entries in a list then divided by the number of entries by enter a
range of numbers when using AVERAGE, or AVERAGE A to include text
entries and to give them a value of zero.
In addition, you can get other information about the data set:
• MEDIAN: The entry that is exactly half way between the highest
and lowest number in a list.
• MODE: The most common entry in a list of numbers.
• QUARTILE:The entry at a set position in the array of numbers.
Besides the cell range, you enter the type of Quartile: 0 for the
lowest entry, 1 for the value of 25%, 2 for the value of 50%, 3 for
75%, and 4 for the highest entry. Note that the result for types 1
through 3 may not represent an actual item entered.
• RANK: The position of a given entry in the entire list, measured
either from top to bottom or bottom to top. You need to enter the
cell address for the entry, the range of entries, and the type of
rank (0 for the rank from the highest, or 1 for the rank from the
bottom.
Some of these functions overlap; for example, MIN and MAX are both
covered by QUARTILE. In other cases, a custom sort or filter might
give much the same result. Which you use depends on your
temperament and your needs. Some might prefer to use MIN and MAX
because they are easy to remember, while others might prefer
QUARTILE because it is more versatile.
212 OpenOffice.org 3.x Calc Guide