Excel is used extensively for statistical work, but does not support
specialized statistical characters. For example, the sample mean is usually
written as 'x' with a bar over it, or x-bar. The equation to approximate
regression is referred to as y-hat, the letter y with a caret (^) on top.
I believe inclusion of all of the specialized statistical symbols in the
character set would add in the presentation of statistical analysis done in
Excel.

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This is a font question/suggestion, not an Excel question/suggestion.
As such, it more properly belongs in a newsgroup that deals with fonts,
such as comp.fonts.

With a font editor, you could create a font that has whaterver
characters that you wish.

Googling similar previous previous requests indicates that x-bar is
already available in at least 2 fonts:
Font MS Reference 1
Math Ext
that you might already have. Also a multiple character approach of
underscore, followed by new line (alt+enter) then X that could be
adapted to y-hat,

Jerry

Dan Donahue wrote:

Excel is used extensively for statistical work, but does not support
specialized statistical characters. For example, the sample mean is usually
written as 'x' with a bar over it, or x-bar. The equation to approximate
regression is referred to as y-hat, the letter y with a caret (^) on top.
I believe inclusion of all of the specialized statistical symbols in the
character set would add in the presentation of statistical analysis done in
Excel.

While it is true that Excel does not have specialized statistical symbols built into its character set, there are ways to include them in your analysis. Here are a few options:

1. Use Unicode characters: Many statistical symbols are included in the Unicode character set, which means they can be inserted into Excel cells like any other character. For example, the x-bar symbol can be inserted by typing "U+0304" after the x character (i.e. "x̄"). To insert a Unicode character, first make sure your font supports it, then go to the Insert tab, click on Symbol, and select More Symbols. From there, you can browse or search for the symbol you need.
   
2. Use custom number formats: Excel allows you to create custom number formats that can include symbols, such as the x-bar or y-hat. To create a custom number format, select the cell or range of cells you want to format, then right-click and choose Format Cells. In the Format Cells dialog box, go to the Number tab and select Custom from the Category list. In the Type field, enter a format code that includes the desired symbol. For example, to format a cell with an x-bar symbol, you could use the code "0.00_);(0.00);x̄".
   
3. Use conditional formatting: If you want to highlight certain values in your data based on statistical criteria, you can use Excel's conditional formatting feature. For example, you could set up a rule that highlights any values above or below a certain threshold with a symbol like an arrow or a star. To create a conditional formatting rule, select the cells you want to format, then go to the Home tab and click on Conditional Formatting. From there, you can choose from a variety of pre-defined rules or create your own.

While it would certainly be convenient if Excel included all the specialized statistical symbols in its character set, there are workarounds available that can help you achieve the same result.