Lecture 3

Virtual University of Pakistan 1

 Contents
Measure of Variation
• Range,
• Standard deviation,
• Variance,
• Inter Quartile Range,
• Coefficient of Variation,
• Box Plot ,
• 5-number summary,
• Real Statistics Add-in ,
• Practical exercise.
Virtual University of Pakistan 2
 Objectives

After completing this lecture, you should be able to:

Compute and interpret :

• Range,
• Standard deviation,
• Variance,
• Inter Quartile Range,
• Coefficient of Variation,
• Box Plot.
Measures of Variation:

Variation

Range Interquartile Variance Standard Coefficient of

Range Deviation Variation

 Measures of variation give information

on the spread or variability of the
data values.

Same center,
different variation
 Range:
• Simplest measure of variation
• Difference between the largest and the smallest
observations:
Range = Xlargest – Xsmallest

Example:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Range = 14 - 1 = 13
 Disadvantages of the Range
• Ignores the way in which data are distributed

7 8 9 10 11 12 7 8 9 10 11 12
Range = 12 - 7 = 5 Range = 12 - 7 = 5
• Sensitive to outliers
1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3,4,5
Range = 5 - 1 = 4
1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,3,3,3,3,4,120
Range = 120 - 1 = 119
 Interquartile Range
• Can eliminate some outlier problems by using the interquartile range

• Eliminate some high- and low-valued observations and calculate the range from the remaining values

• Interquartile range = 3rd quartile – 1st quartile

= Q3 – Q 1
 Interquartile Range

Example:
X minimum Q1 Median Q3 X
maximum
(Q2)
25% 25% 25%
25%
12 30 45 57 70

Interquartile range
= 57 – 30 = 27
 Variance
• Average (approximately) of squared deviations of values
from the mean
n
– Sample variance:
2
 (X i  X) 2

s  i 1
n-1

Where X = arithmetic mean

n = sample size
Xi = ith value of the variable X
 Standard Deviation

• Most commonly used measure of variation

• Shows variation about the mean
• Has the same units as the original data
n

– Sample standard deviation:

 i
(X  X) 2

s i 1

n-1
 Calculation Example:
Sample Standard Deviation

Sample
Data (Xi) : 10 12 14 15 17 18 18 24
n=8 Mean = X = 16
(10  X) 2  (12  X) 2  (14  X) 2    (24  X) 2
S
n 1

(10  16) 2  (12  16) 2  (14  16) 2    (24  16)2


8 1

130
  4.309
7
 Population Variance

• Average of squared deviations of values from the

mean
N

 i
(X  μ) 2

– Population variance: σ2  i1

N

Where μ = population mean

N = population size
Xi = ith value of the variable X
 Population Standard Deviation
• Most commonly used measure of variation
N

 i
• Shows variation about the mean 2
(X  μ)
• Has the same units as the original data
σ i 1
N
 Measuring variation
Small standard deviation

Large standard deviation

 Enter Data:
• Step 1
Open a new Microsoft Excel 2010 spreadsheet by double-clicking the Excel icon.
• Step 2
Click on cell B1 and enter the first number in the set of numbers that you are
investigating. Press "Enter" and the program will automatically select cell B2 for you.
Enter the second number into cell B2 and continue until you have entered the entire set
of numbers into column B.
 Advantages of Variance and Standard
Deviation
• Each value in the data set is used in the calculation

• Values far from the mean are given extra weight

(because deviations from the mean are squared)
Click on "Formulas" and select the "Insert Function" (fx) tab again.
Scroll down the dialog box and select the STDEV function
Enter the cell range for your list of numbers in the number 1 box and
click OK
Use the STDEV function to compute the standard deviation. Place your cursor where you wish to
have it appear.
The standard deviation will appear in the cell you selected.
Comparing Standard Deviations:
Data A
Mean = 15.5
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 S = 3.34

Data B
Mean = 15.5
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 S = 0.92

Data C
Mean = 15.5
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 S = 4.84
 Coefficient of Variation:
• Measures relative variation
• Always in percentage (%)
• Shows variation relative to mean
• Can be used to compare two or more sets of data measured in different units

 S
CV     100%

X 
 Comparing Coefficient
of Variation

• Stock A:
– Average price last year = $50
– Standard deviation = $5
Both stocks
S  $5 have the same
CVA     100% 
  100%  10% standard
• Stock B: X  $50 deviation, but
– Average price last year = $100 stock B is less
variable relative
– Standard deviation = $5 to its price

 S  $5
CVB  
 X
  100% 
  100%  5%
  $100
 Shape of a Distribution:

• Describes how data is distributed

• Measures of shape

– Symmetric or skewed

Left-Skewed Symmetric Right-Skewed

Mean < Median Mean = Median Median < Mean

 Using Microsoft Excel:
• Descriptive Statistics can be obtained from Microsoft ®
Excel
– Use menu choice:
tools / data analysis / descriptive statistics

– Enter details in dialog box

Using Excel:

 Use menu choice:

tools / data analysis /
descriptive statistics
 Using Excel:

• Enter dialog box

details

• Check box for

summary statistics

• Click OK
 Excel output

Microsoft Excel
descriptive statistics output,
using the house price data:

House Prices:

$2,000,000
500,000
300,000
100,000
100,000
 Exploratory Data Analysis:
• Box-and-Whisker Plot: A Graphical display of data using 5-
number summary:

Minimum -- Q1 -- Median -- Q3 -- Maximum

Example:

25% 25% 25% 25%

Minimum
Minimum 1st
1st Median
Median 3rd
3rd Maximum
Quartile
Quartile Quartile
Quartile
 Shape of Box-and-Whisker Plots

• The Box and central line are centered between the endpoints if data are
symmetric around the median

Min Q1 Median Q3 Max

• A Box-and-Whisker plot can be shown in either vertical or horizontal

format
 Distribution Shape and
Box-and-Whisker Plot

Left-Skewed Symmetric Right-Skewed

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q1 Q2 Q3
Practical Exercise