Measures of Variation

Introduction

Events of nature always vary from time to time. People keep on changing places, motion, physical
appearance, skin reaction to different chemicals, height, weight, hair color, eye color, ideas, and even
values in life. Usually, the heights of a group of people with the same race tend to converge to a certain
common value. For example, if the mean height of Filipino males is approximately 5 feet and 6 inches then
this means most Filipino male adults have heights that are clustering about this value. The extent of the
clustering of the heights of the Filipino males about a central value is known as variation. The measures
of variation enable us to know how varied the observations are, whether there are extreme values in the
distribution, or whether the values are very close to each other. If the measure is zero, it means that there
is no variation at all. The observations are all alike, or homogeneous. Otherwise they are heterogeneous.
The common measures of variation are the range, mean absolute deviation, variance, standard
deviation, coefficient of variation, quartile deviation and percentile range.

RANGE

This is the simplest form of measuring variation of a distribution. To get the range, subtract the
lowest score or observation from the highest score.

R= Highest Observation- Lowest observation

Example 1

A group of scientists went on an expedition to the mountain range in Sierra Madre, Philippines
to study the different species of plants existing in the area. The ages of the scientists are 34, 35, 45, 56,
32, 25, and 40. What is the range of their ages?

Solution:

Highest Age=56
Lowest Age=25

R =Highest-Lowest

=56-25

=31

Therefore, the range of their ages is 31. If the size of the population or sample is large, the range
is not an excellent measure of variation because it considers the highest and the lowest values and does
not tell anything about the values between them. If one is interested in the position of each observation
relative to the mean of the set of data, other measures of variation are necessary. The mean absolute
variation can be applied.
Mean Absolute Variation

To find the mean absolute variation, subtract the mean score from each raw score then using
the absolute values of the differences, get the sum of the results. The sum is called the sum of the
deviations from the mean. Next, divide this number by N, the total number of cases. In symbols,

∑[𝑥−𝑥]
MAD= 𝑁
for ungrouped data

∑ƒ(𝑥−𝑥)
MAD= 𝑁
for grouped data

Example 2

Find the MAD of the ages of the scientists in Example 1.

Solution: Ages are 34, 35, 45, 56, 32, 25, and 40
34+35+45+56+32+25+40
Mean Age: x= =38.14
7

X x-x /x-x/
34 -4.14 4.14
35 -3.14 3.14
45 6.86 6.86
56 17.86 17.86
32 -6.14 6.14
25 -13.14 13.14
40 1.86 1.86
TOTAL 53.14

53.14
MAD= 7
= 7.59

Therefore, the mean absolute deviation is 7.59.

VARIANCE

Variance is another measure of variation which can be used instead of the range. The variance
considers the deviation of each observation from the mean. To obtain the variance of a distribution,
compute the deviation from the mean of each raw score. Then, square the deviations from the mean
and add them. Finally, divide the resulting sum by N, or the total number of cases.

a. Population Variance for Grouped Data

∑ƒ (𝑥−𝑥)2
𝜎2𝑁 = 𝑁
 b. Sample Variance for Grouped Data
𝑁∑ƒ𝑋 2 −(∑ƒ𝑥)2
S2N-1 =
𝑁 (𝑁−1)
c. Population Variance for Ungrouped Data
∑(𝑥 − 𝑥)2
𝜎2𝑁 =
𝑁

d. Sample Variance for Ungrouped Data

∑(𝑥−𝑥)2
S2N-1=
𝑁−1

Example 3

Compute the population and sample variances of the data in Table 6.1

Table 6.1 IQ Scores

IQ 𝑓 X 𝑓𝑥 𝑥2 𝑓𝑥 2 𝑥−𝑥 (𝑋 − 𝑥)2 𝑓(𝑋 − 𝑥)2

Scores
75-79 10 77 770 5,929 59,290 -13.7 187.69 1876.9
80-84 12 82 984 6,724 80,688 -8.7 75.69 908.28
85-89 25 87 2,175 7,569 189,225 -3.7 13.69 342.25
90-94 34 92 3,128 8,464 287,776 1.3 1.69 57.46
95-99 19 97 1,843 9,409 178,771 6.3 39.69 754.11
100-104 15 102 1,530 10,404 156,060 11.3 127.69 1,915.35

N=115 ∑𝑓𝑥 = 10,340 ∑ƒ𝑥2=951, 810 ∑𝑓(𝑋 − 𝑥)2=5,854.35

10,340
X= 115
= 90.70

a. Sample Variance

𝑁∑ƒ𝑋 2 −(∑ƒ𝑥)2 115 (951,810)−(10,340)2

S2 N-1 = =
𝑁 (𝑁−1) 115(115−1)

109,458,150−108,784,900
= 13,110
= 51.35
b. Population Variance

∑ƒ (𝑥−𝑥)2 5,854.35
𝜎2𝑁 = 𝑁
= 115
=50.91

Example 4
Find the population and sample variances of the following distribution.
 34, 35, 45, 56, 32, 25, and 40

X ǀx-xǀ (x-x)2
34 4.14 17.14
35 3.14 9.86
45 6.86 47.06
56 17.86 318.98
32 6.14 37.70
25 13.14 172.66
40 1.86 3.46
267 53.14 606.86

267
X= 7
=38.14

a. Population Variance

∑(𝑥−𝑥)2 606.86
𝜎2𝑁 = = = 86.7
𝑁 7
b. Sample Variance
∑(𝑥−𝑥)2 606.86
S2N-1= = = 101.14
𝑁−1 6

Standard Deviation

The standard deviation ð for a population or s for aa sample, is the square root of the value of
the variance. In symbols,

a. Population Standard Deviation (𝜎)

𝜎 = √𝜎 2 N
b. Sample Standard Deviation (s)
s = √𝑠 2 N-1

Example 5

Compute the population and sample standard deviation of the data in Table 6.1

Solution:
a. Population Variance
𝜎 2 N = 50.91

Therefore, the value of the population standard deviation is

 𝜎 = √50.91 =7.13
b. Sample Variance

𝑠 2 N-1=51.35

Sample standard deviation is s= √51.35 =7.17

Example 6

Find the standard deviation of the distribution in Table 6.2

Table 6.2 Scores in Statistics Final Exam

Class Interval ƒ x Ƒx ƒx2

27-29 12 28 336 9408
30-32 23 31 713 22103
33-35 60 34 2040 69360
36-38 45 37 1665 61605
39-41 51 40 2040 81600
42-44 75 43 3225 138675
45-47 28 46 1288 59248
48-50 33 49 1617 79233
51-53 18 52 936 48,672
54-56 10 55 550 30240

N=355 ∑ƒx= 14,4110 ∑ƒx2=600,154

14,410
X= =40.59
355

355 (600154)−(14410)2 5406570

𝜎 2 N-1 = 355(355−1)
= 125670
=43.02

𝜎 N-1= √43.02 =6.56

Therefore, the standard deviation of the score is 6.56.

Coefficient of Variation

When it is necessary to compare the variability of two or more groups, the task is easy if the means
are the same. For example, we can easily compare which group is more varied in height between the
following groups:

Group 1: mean: 156 cm, standard deviation=6

Group 2: mean: 156 cm, standard deviation=10
 Clearly one can see that Group 2, is more varied because it has a higher standard deviation. The
task becomes more difficult if the means are not equal and the units are different, such as comparing the
weights of two groups belonging to different age brackets or different gender. How can we compare the
variability of the weights of 9 girls, with mean weight equal to 100 pounds and with standard deviation 5
and that of the weights of 12 boys with mean weight equal to 160 pounds and standard deviation 8? A
statistic called the coefficient of variation helps us answer the question. The formula is:

𝑠
CV= x100%
𝑥

Where s= standard deviation

X= mean

Since s and x have the same units, their units are canceled out and so CV has no unit.

Example 1
Suppose the two groups of students are to be compared in terms of height.

Group Mean Height Standard Deviation CV

Male 162 cm 10 cm 6.17%
Female 148 cm 4 cm 2.70%

Solution for CV:

10
CV Male = x 100% =6.17 %
162

4
CV Female =148 x 100%=2.70%

Comparing the relative variations in height of the male and female students, it can be seen that that the
male students have higher coefficient of variation in height than the female students. Thus, male
students’ heights are more varied.

Example 2

Compare the variability of the height and weight of the students given the following data.

Mean s CV
Height in cm 168 cm 12 cm 7.14 %
Weight in pounds 200 lb 20 lb 10.00%

From the varied results, it can be seen that the weight of the students is more varied than the
height.
Quartile Deviation

Quartile deviation is another way of determining the spread of a distribution in terms of

quartiles. The following is the quartile deviation formula:

𝑄 3 −𝑄1
QD= 2
Where QD= Quartile Deviation
Q3=3rd Quartile
Q1=1st Quartile

Example:
Find the QD of the following scores:

23 25 25 30 35 39 40 44 47 51 60

Solution:

3𝑁 3(11)
Q3 = 4
= 4
= 8.25th item. Thus, Q3=47

𝑁 11
Q1 = 4 = 4
= 2.75th item. Thus, Q1=25

47−25 22
QD= = = 11
2 2

Hence, the QD is 11.

Example 8

Find the QD of car battery lives (in years)

1.2 1.4 1.6 2.2 2.5 2.8 3.0 3.0 3.1 4.4

Solution

3𝑁 3 (10)
Q3= = =7.5th item that is 3.0 years (The value is midway between 7th and 8th items which is 3.0
4 4
in this example)

𝑁 10
Q1= 4 = 4 = 2.5th item that is 1.5 years (since the number of cases is even, the median between th 2nd
and the 3rd item which is 1.5 is taken)
 3.0−1.5 1.5
QD= 2
= 2 = 0.75

Hence the QD is 0.75

Example 9

Find the QD of the scores in Table 6.3

Table 6.3 Scores in Statistics Final Exam

Class ƒ ᵪ ƒᵪ <CF Class

Interval Boundary
27-29 12 28 336 12 26.5-29.5
30-32 23 31 713 35 29.5-32.5
33-35 60 34 2040 95 32.5-35.5
36-38 45 37 1665 140 35.5-38.5
39-41 51 40 2040 191 38.5-41.5
42-44 75 43 3225 266 41.5-44.5
45-47 28 46 1288 294 44.5-47.5
48-50 33 49 1617 327 47.5-50.5
51-53 18 52 936 345 51.5-53.5
54-56 10 55 550 355 53.5-56.5

Solution:

𝑁 355
For Q1: = =88.75, hence, LQ1= 32.5, <CFb = 35, and ƒQ1 = 60.
4 4

88.75−35
Q1=32.5 + ⌊ 60
⌋= 32.5 + 2.69 =35.19

3𝑁 3 (355)
For Q3 : 4
= 4
=266.25, hence LQ3= 44.5, < CFb= 266, and ƒQ1=28.

Hence, the quartile deviation is 1.91.

Percentile Range

The percentile range, PR, is the difference between the 90th percentile (P90) and the 10th
percentile (P10). In symbols,
 PR= P90-P10

Example 10

The following data represent the scores of students in the final examination in Physics.

100 100 111 111 112 120 121 122 123 175
171 130 132 133 135 140 145 145 146 150
150 155 160 164 165 165 170 180 175

Calculate the percentile range of the scores.

Solution:

90𝑁 90 (29)
P90= 100 = 100
= 26. 1th item that is 171

10 𝑁 10 (29)
P10= 100
= 100
= 2.9th item that is 111

PR = P90-P10
= 171-111
= 60

Hence, the percentile range of the scores is 60.