Distance Metric

Use the drop-down menu to select the method used for computing differences between the observations. The DGOWER method is selected by default.

Available methods for computing distances are described in the table below:

Method	Description
CITYBLOCK	Calculates the Manhattan distance between pairs. Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
DCORR	Calculates the correlation transformed to the Euclidean Distance between pairs. Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
DGOWER	Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
DSQCORR	Calculates the value equivalent to 1 minus the squared correlation between pairs. Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
EUCLID	Calculates the Euclidean distance between pairs. Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
L(1)	Calculates the Minkowski distance between pairs. Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
SHAPE	Calculates the shape distance between pairs. Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
SIZE	Calculates the size distance between pairs. Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
SQEUCLID	Calculates the squared Euclidean distance between pairs. Select this method for interval, ratio, or ordinal variables.
CANBERRA	Calculates the Canberra metric distance coefficient between pairs. Select this method only when variables are either ratios, or positive and continuous.
CHI	Calculates the squared root of the chi-squared coefficient between pairs. Select this method only when variables are either ratios, or positive and continuous.
CHISQ	Calculates the chi-squared coefficient between pairs. Select this method only when variables are either ratios, or positive and continuous.
DISRATIO	Calculates the value equivalent to 1 minus the similarity ratio between pairs. Select this method only when variables are either ratios, or positive and continuous.
DOVERLAP	Calculates the overlap dissimilarity between pairs. Select this method only when variables are either ratios, or positive and continuous.
NONMETRIC	Calculates the Lance and Williams nonmetric coefficient between pairs. Select this method only when variables are either ratios, or positive and continuous.
PHI	Calculates the squared root of the phi-squared coefficient between pairs. Select this method only when variables are either ratios, or positive and continuous.
PHISQ	Calculates the phi-squared coefficient between pairs. Select this method only when variables are either ratios, or positive and continuous.
BLWNM	Calculates the Binary Lance and Williams nonmetric, or Bray-Curtis coefficient between pairs. Select this method only when variables are nominal.
DJACCARD	Calculates the Jaccard dissimilarity coefficient between pairs. Select this method only when variables are nominal.
DMATCH	Calculates the simple matching coefficient transformed to Euclidean distance between pairs. Select this method only when variables are nominal.
DSQMATCH	Calculates the simple matching coefficient transformed to squared Euclidean distance between pairs. Select this method only when variables are nominal.
HAMMING	Calculates the Hamming distance between pairs. Select this method only when variables are nominal.

To Specify This Option:

Select the desired level of measurement using the drop-down menu.

For Additional Information

Refer to the SAS PROC DISTANCE documentation for more information.