chi-square

[ kahy-skwair ]

noun

, Statistics.

1. a quantity equal to the summation over all variables of the quotient of the square of the difference between the observed and expected values divided by the expected value of the variable.

chi-square

/ kī′skwâr′ /

1. A test statistic that is calculated as the sum of the squares of observed values minus expected values divided by the expected values.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chi-square¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The significance of each difference reported was calculated by the Chi-square test and the confidence limit is given in each case.

From Project Gutenberg

In a fourfold table, the value of chi-square (14.7) is significant and indicates that the frequencies are not proportional.

From Project Gutenberg