Editing Geometric standard deviation (section)

{{Short description|Statistical measure}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2016}}
In [[probability theory]] and [[statistics]], the '''geometric standard deviation''' ('''GSD''') describes how spread out are a set of numbers whose preferred average is the [[geometric mean]]. For such data, it may be preferred to the more usual [[standard deviation]].  Note that unlike the usual ''arithmetic'' standard deviation, the ''geometric'' standard deviation is a multiplicative factor, and thus is [[dimensionless]], rather than having the same [[Dimensional analysis|dimension]] as the input values. Thus, the geometric standard deviation may be more appropriately called '''geometric SD factor'''.<ref>[http://www.graphpad.com/guides/prism/7/statistics/stat_the_geometric_mean_and_geometr.htm?toc=0&printWindow GraphPad Guide]</ref><ref>Kirkwood, T.B.L. (1993). [https://doi.org/10.3109/03639049309038775 "Geometric standard deviation - reply to Bohidar"]. Drug Dev. Ind. Pharmacy 19(3): 395-6.</ref>  When using geometric SD factor in conjunction with geometric mean, it should be described as "the range from (the geometric mean divided by the geometric SD factor) to (the geometric mean multiplied by the geometric SD factor), and one cannot add/subtract  "geometric SD factor" to/from geometric mean.<ref name="Geometric means and measures of dispersion">{{cite journal |last1=Kirkwood |first1=T.B.L. |title=Geometric means and measures of dispersion |journal=Biometrics |year=1979 |volume=35 |pages=908–9| jstor = 2530139}}</ref>