AbstractComparing theM/L‐distribution function of single spiral and irregular galaxies with that of double galaxies (S,S and E,E) from the list of KARACHENTSEV(1974) it can be shown that the mass discrepancy can be ascribed to the skewedness of this frequency function and thus to the strong dependence of the mean value ofM/Lon the dispersion. An unavoidable enlargement of the dispersion by errors of measurement and wrong attachment of objects of the sample always raises the mean ofM/L. This effect could be then mistaken for a mass discrepanc