Fat tail: Difference between revisions

46 bytes added ,  24 November 2021
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{{g}}The accursed part of your probability distribution, where you discover it diverges from the [[normal distribution]] lazily factored into all your models.
{{g}}
The accursed part of your [[probability]] distribution, where you discover it diverges from the [[normal distribution]] lazily factored into all your models.


In probability theory, “kurtosis” (from Greek: κυρτός, meaning “curved”) is the measure of the fatness of the tails of a distribution of variables. Higher kurtosis corresponds to greater deviation from the [[mean]] — more [[outlier]]s — and is less interested in the shape of the distribution close to the mean.  
In probability theory, “kurtosis” (from Greek: κυρτός, meaning “curved”) is the measure of the fatness of the tails of a distribution of variables. Higher kurtosis corresponds to greater deviation from the [[mean]] — more [[outlier]]s — and is less interested in the shape of the distribution close to the mean.  
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===Leptokurtic distributions are from Mars, platykurtic distributions are from Venus===
===Leptokurtic distributions are from Mars, platykurtic distributions are from Venus===


'''Platykurtic distributions: mediocristan''': Distributions with ''lower'' kurtosis than 3 are “platykurtic”, and will produce fewer outliers than a [[normal distribution]]. For example, a [[uniform distribution]] — eg a coin toss, or a deck of cards — which does not produce outliers art all. You can’t get an 11 of hearts.  
'''“Platykurtic” distributions: Mediocristan''': Distributions with ''lower'' kurtosis than 3 are “platykurtic”, and will produce fewer outliers than a [[normal distribution]]. For example, a [[uniform distribution]] — eg a coin toss, or a deck of cards — which does not produce outliers art all. You can’t get an 11 of hearts.  


'''Leptokurtic distributions: exrtremistan''': Distributions with ''greater'' kurtosis than 3 are “leptokurtic”. The tails of a leptokurtic distribution will be fatter — they will tend to zero more slowly than those of a normal distribution, and there will be more outliers.
'''“Leptokurtic” distributions: Extremistan''': Distributions with ''greater'' kurtosis than 3 are “leptokurtic”. The tails of a leptokurtic distribution will be fatter — they will tend to zero more slowly than those of a normal distribution, and there will be more outliers.
 
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*[[Lentil convexity]]