Measures of Variations

Definition
A measures about how far the difference
between a value/data from its tendency
sentral.

Same center,
different variation

Absolute dispersion measures

1.Range.
The range of a set of ungrouped data is the
difference between the greatest and the least
values of the set.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Range = 14 - 1 = 13
The range for grouped data are
found
R =as
Xi :last class Xi first class
R = Last class bloundary first class
boundary

2. Variance
Average of squared deviations of values from
the mean
Sample variance:
Population
n
N
variance:
2
2
s2

(x
i 1

x)

n -1

n
Variance for group data:

s2

2
fi
(x

x
)
i
i 1

n -1

(x
i 1

3. Standart Deviation
Squared root of variation
Sample variance:
variance:
n

(x
i 1

x)

Population
N

n -1

Variance for group data:

n

i 1

2
fi (x i x )

n -1

2
(x

)
i
i 1

Sample
Data (Xi) :

10

12

14

15

n=8
s

17

18

18

24

Mean = x = 16

(10 x ) 2 (12 x ) 2 (14 x ) 2 (24 x ) 2

n 1
(10 16)

126
7

(12 16)

4.2426

(14 16)
8 1

(24 16)

Data A
11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20 21

Mean = 15.5
s = 3.338

20 21

Mean = 15.5
s = .9258

20 21

Mean = 15.5
s = 4.57

Data B
11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Data C
11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Relative dispersion measures

1. Coefficient of
Variation
Always in percentage (%)
Shows variation relative to mean
Is used to compare two or more sets of data measured
in different units
Population

100%
CV

Sample

s
CV
x

100%

2. Quartile Coefficient of
Variation
CV Q3 Q1

Q3 + Q1

Exercise
Adam and Bonnie are comparing their quiz scores in
an effort to determine who is the best.
Help them decide by calculating the mean, median,
and mode.
Adams Scores
Bonnies Scores
85
81
60
85
105
86
85
85
72
90
100
80

Adam

Bennie

Mean

84.5

84.5

Median

85

85

Mode

85

85

So, who has the better quiz scores?

Now, find the standard deviation for both of them

Deviations from the Mean

The deviation from the mean is the difference
between a single data point and the calculated
mean of the data.

X X

Data point close to mean: small deviation

Data point far from mean: large deviation
Sum of deviations from mean is always zero.
Mean of the deviations is always zero.

Deviations from Mean for Adam and Bonnie

Adam
Data Deviation from
Point Mean
85

85 - 84.5 = 0.5

60

60 84.5 = -24.5

105

105 84.5 = 20.5

85

85 84.5 = 0.5

72

72 84.5 = -12.5

100

100 84.5 = 15.5

Sum = 0

Bennie
Data Deviation from
Poin Mean
t
81

81 - 84.5 = -3.5

85

85 84.5 = 0.5

86

86 84.5 = 1.5

85

85 84.5 = 0.5

90

90 84.5 = 5.5

80

80 84.5 = -4.5

Sum = 0

Variance for Adam and Bennies

Scores
Using the deviations from the mean we have already
calculated for Adam and Bonnie, we will find the
variance for each.

Adam : s =

(.5)2 (24.5) 2 (20.5) 2 (.5) 2 (12.5) 2 (15.5) 2

6 1

1417.5 = 283.5
s =
5

Bonnie: s =

(3.5) 2 (.5) 2 (1.5) 2 (.5) 2 (5.5) 2 (4.5) 2

6 1

s =

65.
5

= 13.1

Standard Deviation
To find the variance, we squared the deviations
from the mean, so the variance is in squared
units.
To return to the same units as the data, we use
the square root of the variance, the standard
deviation.

Standard Deviation

Variance

Adam and Bonnies Standard

Deviation
Adam:

s s 283.5 16.84
2

Bennie:

s 13.1 3.62
2

Based on the standard deviation, Bonnies

scores are better because there is less
dispersion. In other words, she is more
consistent than Adam.