Measures of Variability

- Also called the measures of

dispersion
- it describes the number of spread
for a data set
 Measures of Variability
(Range ,Variance and Standard Deviation)

Range – the difference between

Group 1 Group 2
the highest score and the lowest
score Student A 83 Student A 80

Range= HS-LS Student B 79 Student B 70

Gr 1 Student C 81 Student C 60
R=83-79 Student D 82 Student D 100
R=4
Student E 80 Student E 95
Gr 2
R=100-60
R=40
 Measures of Variability
Variance-the the square of Population Variance Formula
the standard deviation of a
given data. It reflects the 

σ = population standard deviation
∑ = sum of…

degree of spread in the

 X = each value
 μ = population mean

data set N = number of values in the population

Sample Variance Formula

• 2
s = sample variance

 Σ = sum of…
 Χ = each value
 ̄x = sample mean

n = number of values in the sample

Measures of Variability
• Standard Deviation – is the
measure of how the numbers
are spread out  σ2 = population variance
 Σ = sum of…
• Procedures  Χ = each value
 μ = population mean
• 1. Compute the mean
• 2. Determine the deviation or difference between the individual Ν = number of values in the population
scores to the mean of the scores
• 3. Calculate the square of each deviation and get the sum of the
squared deviation
• 4. If the data is a population, divide the sum by n, if the data is a
sample, divide the sum by n-1
 s = sample standard deviation
• 5. Find the square root of the quotient in step 4.  ∑ = sum of…
 X = each value
 ̅x = sample mean
n = number of values in the sample
Measures of Variability
• Compute for the Variance and Standard Deviation
• Population Variance Performance Grades of Students in their
Group Activity:
Group 1 Group 2
Student A 83 Student A 80
Gr 1 Student B 79 Student B 70
1. Mean=83+79+81+82+80
Student C 81 Student C 60
5
Student D 82 Student D 100
Mean=405
5 Student E 80 Student E 95

Mean=81
 Group 1 X X̅ X-X̅ (X-X̅)2
Measures of Variability
• Compute for the Variance and standard deviation Student A 83 81 2 4
Population Variance Population Standard Deviation
Student B 79 81 2 4

Student C 81 81 0 0

σ2 = 10
Student D 82 81 1 1
5 σ = 1.41
σ 2= 2
Student E 80 81 1 1
Sample Variance Sample Standard Deviation

∑=405 ∑=10

s2 = 10 Mean =81
5-1 s = 1.58

s2 =2.5
 Measures of Variability
Group 1 X X̅ X-X̅ (X-X̅)2

• Compute for the Variance and standard deviation ( Group 1) Student A 83 81 2 4

Population Variance Population Standard Deviation
Student B 79 81 2 4

Student C 81 81 0 0

σ2 = 10 Student D 82 81 1 1
5 σ = 1.41
σ 2= 2
Student E 80 81 1 1
Sample Variance Sample Standard Deviation

∑=405 ∑=10

s2 = 10
Mean =81
5-1 s = 1.58

s2 =2.5
 Measures of Variability
Group 2 X X̅ X-X̅ (X-X̅)2

Student A 80 81 1 1
• Compute for the Variance and standard deviation (Group 2 )
Population Variance Population Standard Deviation Student B 70 81 11 121
Student C 60 81 21 441
Student D 100 81 19 361
Student E 95 81 14 196
∑=405 ∑=1,120
σ2 = 1,120 Mean =81
5 σ = 14.97
σ2= 224
Sample Variance Sample Standard Deviation

s2 = 1,120 Gr 2
5-1 s = 16.73 1. Mean=80+70+60+100+95
s2 =280 5
Mean= 405
5
Mean=81
Comparison
Measures of Variability Group 1 Group 2
Mean 81 81
Range 4 40
Variance σ2 = 2 σ2= 224
s2 =2.5 s2 =280

Standard Deviation σ = 1.41 σ = 14.97

s = 1.58 s = 16.73

Interpretation:
There is a consistency on the performance grades of group members in Group 1 than
Group 2

Students are more homogenous in their performance grade in Group 1 than Group 2
Exercise
• Compute for the Range, Variance , and Standard Deviation of the
following sample population in their Statistics subject:

• 19, 34, 20, 49, 23