Degree of Freedom

Degrees of freedom refer to the number of independent values or variables that can vary in a statistical calculation without violating any constraints. Essentially, it indicates how much flexibility there is in the data. For example, when calculating the average of a set of numbers, once most values are determined, the last one is constrained by the others. Degrees of freedom are important in tests and models to ensure accurate, reliable results. They help account for the amount of independent information available for making inferences about the data.