A distribution with a long tail to the left is described as which?

A distribution with a long tail to the left is described as which?

• A. Negative Skew
• B. Positive Skew
• C. Skewness
• D. Outlier

Answer: (A)

A distribution with a long tail on the left is described as negatively skewed. Skewness captures asymmetry in a distribution, and a leftward, longer tail means there are more extreme low values pulling the tail in that direction. In such cases the bulk of the data lie to the right of the center, and the mean is usually pulled below the median (mean < median). A distribution with a long tail to the right would be positively skewed. Skewness is about overall shape, not about individual outliers, which are extreme values that may occur anywhere and are not the defining feature of the tail direction.

A distribution with a long tail on the left is described as negatively skewed. Skewness captures asymmetry in a distribution, and a leftward, longer tail means there are more extreme low values pulling the tail in that direction. In such cases the bulk of the data lie to the right of the center, and the mean is usually pulled below the median (mean < median). A distribution with a long tail to the right would be positively skewed. Skewness is about overall shape, not about individual outliers, which are extreme values that may occur anywhere and are not the defining feature of the tail direction.