What type of kurtosis has a value equal to 3?

Kurtosis is a statistical measure that describes the shape of a distribution's tails in relation to its overall shape. A value of kurtosis equal to 3 classifies the distribution as mesokurtic. This term refers to a normal distribution, which has a relatively moderate peak and is characterized by tails that are neither excessively heavy nor light compared to a normal distribution.

In contrast, leptokurtic distributions have a kurtosis greater than 3, indicating heavier tails and a sharper peak, while platykurtic distributions have kurtosis less than 3, signifying lighter tails and a flatter peak. Exponential kurtosis doesn't fit within the conventional classification of kurtosis, as it doesn't refer to a standard shape related to normal distributions.

So, when kurtosis is equal to 3, it typically aligns with mesokurtic, representing a standard normal distribution with balanced tail heaviness. Understanding this concept is essential for analyzing how data is distributed and its implications for statistical analyses.