kurtosis — Compute sample kurtosis.

kurtosis(X) computes biased sample kurtosis, not excess kurtosis. kurtosis(X,0,...) applies the finite-sample bias correction. Dimension, vector-dimension, and "all" forms are supported.

Syntax

Y = kurtosis(X)
Y = kurtosis(X, flag)
Y = kurtosis(X, flag, dim)

Inputs

NameTypeRequiredDefaultDescription
XAnyYesInput data array.
flagNumericArrayNoNormalization or deviation mode flag.
dimAnyNoDimension, dimension vector, or "all" selector.
optionsAnyVariadicOptional dimension and missing-value arguments.

Returns

NameTypeDescription
YNumericArrayComputed statistic.

Errors

IdentifierWhenMessage
RunMat:kurtosis:InvalidArgumentInputs, flags, dimensions, or options are malformed.descriptive statistics: invalid argument
RunMat:kurtosis:InternalInternal tensor conversion or allocation fails.descriptive statistics: internal error

How kurtosis works

  • Flag 1 is the default biased moment estimator.
  • Flag 0 applies the usual finite-sample bias correction and returns NaN for slices with fewer than four values.
  • Slices with zero variance return NaN.
  • NaNs are treated as missing and omitted from each slice by default.

Example

Kurtosis across all values

k = kurtosis(x, 1, "all")

Using kurtosis with coding agents

Open a RunMat example with live inputs, then ask the agent to explain how kurtosis changes the result.

Run a small kurtosis example, explain the result, then change one input and compare the output.

FAQ

Does kurtosis return excess kurtosis?

No. The returned value is kurtosis with the normal distribution centered around 3.

Open-source implementation

Unlike proprietary runtimes, every RunMat function is open-source. Read exactly how kurtosis is executed, line by line, in Rust.

About RunMat

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