SKEWNESS_SAMP

Applies to: ✅ Data 360 SQL ✅ Tableau Hyper API

Computes the sample skewness of input values, with a bias correction for finite samples. Skewness measures the asymmetry of a distribution: positive values indicate a longer right tail, negative values indicate a longer left tail, and zero indicates a symmetric distribution.

Syntax 

1skewness_samp(<expression>)

Arguments 

Required 

  • <expression>: An expression of any numerical type.

Returns 

Returns a double precision value.

Returns NULL when fewer than three non-null input values are provided or when all non-null values are identical.

Considerations 

  • Use SKEWNESS_SAMP when the data is a sample drawn from a larger population, the typical analytics case. Use SKEWNESS_POP when the data is the complete population of interest.
  • Uses the adjusted Fisher–Pearson coefficient of skewness, with finite-sample bias correction.
  • Converges with SKEWNESS_POP for large row counts.
  • Ignores NULL inputs. Any NaN or infinite input propagates to a NaN result.

Examples 

Calculate Sample Skewness 

Estimate the skewness of service latency from a sampled slice of requests.

1SELECT skewness_samp(latency_ms) AS latency_skew
2FROM request_log_sample;

Skewness by Group 

Compare the asymmetry of claim amounts across policy lines.

1SELECT policy_line, skewness_samp(claim_amount) AS claim_skew
2FROM claims
3GROUP BY policy_line;

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