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Pearson Chi-Square: One Cell’s Contribution
Calculate one observed-versus-expected count’s contribution to a Pearson chi-square statistic, with explicit inverse branches.
- Formula & worked example
- Private in your browser
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Calculator inputs
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How to use this calculator
- Enter the known values in the units shown. Results update as you type.
- Where results are editable, change one to solve backwards. Lock a value to hold it fixed.
- Use the worked example to check the method. Reset restores the starting fields.
Private by default
Inputs and results stay in this browser tab. Bookify does not upload or store the values you enter.
Formula and method
An observed count of 12 and expected count of 9 contribute (12 − 9)²/9 = 1 to the chi-square sum.
Single-cell contribution = (observed − expected)² / expected
Worked example
Enter these known values and leave the other values blank.
- Observed whole count
- 12
- Expected count
- 9
- Single-cell chi-square contribution
- 1
Assumptions and limitations
- The observed count is a nonnegative integer. Expected count is positive and may be fractional; the contribution is nonnegative.
- This is one term, not a complete test. A full test needs every cell, a suitable probability model, degrees of freedom and assumptions for its reference distribution.
- Inverse solutions need not be unique. Recovering observed count chooses E + √(contribution × E). Recovering expected count chooses the larger quadratic root.
- An inverse observed result must still be a whole count. A fractional inverse is not rounded into a valid observation.
Common questions
Does a result of one mean my hypothesis is accepted?
No. This is one contribution to a sum and provides neither a p-value nor a hypothesis-test decision.
Why does reversing the calculation sometimes give another expected count?
The squared difference loses a sign. With observed count 12 and contribution 1, expected counts 9 and 16 both fit; this inverse selects 16.
References
Bookify requires a nonnegative whole observed count, positive expected count and nonnegative chi-square contribution.
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