MEASURES OF VARIABILITY

Measures of variability indicate the extent to which values in a distribution are spread
around the central tendency.

Examine the following scores:

Set A: 80, 82, 86, 89, 93
Set B: 83, 85, 86, 87, 89
Set C: 84, 85, 86, 87, 88

⮚ Each of the set of scores above has a mean value of 86.

⮚ Set A has the most spread scores while set C has the least spread of scores. ⮚ There is a
need to determine the degree of dispersion of the scores from the mean or average to describe
a set of distribution adequately.
⮚ How? By applying the different measures of variability such as the range, mean deviation,
standard deviation, variance, and quartile deviation.

RANGE

It is computed only from the minimum and maximum values, thus, it is a very rough
measure of spread. The range provides useful but limited information since it depends only on
the extreme values.

Range for Ungrouped Data

Range of the ungrouped data is the difference between the highest and lowest observed
values in a distribution.

Range = Highest value – Lowest value

Example
1. The following are the length of time in minutes that 10 patients waited in the dentist’s office
before receiving treatment: 15, 10, 21, 20, 30, 25, 40, 35, 45, and 50. Find the range.

Range = 50 – 10 = 40

Range for Grouped Data

Range for grouped data is the difference between the class mark of the highest class and
the class mark of the lowest class. It can also be the difference between the upper boundary of the
highest class and the lower boundary of the lowest class.

Example
1. Find the range of the following data:
Height in Frequen Class Mark Class
Inch cy f X Boundaries

61 – 63 2 62 60.5 – 63.5

64 – 66 5 65 63.5 – 66.5

67 – 69 12 68 66.5 – 69.5

70 – 72 5 71 69.5 – 72.5

73 – 75 8 74 72.5 – 75.5
 76 – 78 5 77 75.5 – 78.5

79 – 81 3 80 78.5 – 81.5

Range = X of the highest class – X of the lowest class = 80 – 62 = 18

Or Range = Upper Boundary of the Highest Class – Lower Boundary of the Lowest Class =
81.5 – 60.5 = 21
MEAN DEVIATION

Mean deviation takes into account all the items in the distribution and it determines the
amount by which each item value varies from the mean of the distribution. It is the average
deviation of the absolute item values in a distribution from the arithmetic mean. Absolute values
mean item values regardless of the signs.

Mean Deviation for Ungrouped Data

Formula: MD = ∑ | X - X |
n

Where: X = value of each observation

X = mean
n = total number of items
| | = symbol for absolute value

Example
1. An appliance store during the first 5 days of their month-long promotion sale at the Glorietta
had the following daily number of DVD players sold: 2, 5, 7, 8, and 3. What is the mean
absolute deviation of the sales of DVD players during this 5-day?
Solution:
First compute for the mean:
X = ∑X = 2 + 5 + 7 + 8 + 3 = 25 = 5
n55
Values Algebraic Deviation from the Mean Absolute Deviation from the Mean

X X-X | X- X |

2 2 – 5 = -3 3

5 5–5=0 0

7 7–5=2 2

8 8–5=3 3

3 3 – 5 = -2 2

Sum of the Absolute Deviations from the Mean ===🡺 ∑ | X - X | = 10

Solve for the median deviation

MD = ∑ | X - X | = 10 = 2
n5
Mean Deviation for Grouped Data

Formula: MD = ∑ f | X - X |
n

Where: X = midpoint or classmark of each class

X = mean of the sample observations
n = total number of sample observations
| | = symbol for absolute value
Example:
1. Consider the distribution table below. Find the mean deviation.
Height in Frequency Class Mark fX |X–X| f|X–X|
Inch f X

61 – 63 2 62 124 8.93 17.86

64 – 66 5 65 325 5.93 29.65

67 – 69 12 68 816 2.93 35.16

70 – 72 5 71 355 0.07 0.35

73 – 75 8 74 592 3.07 24.56

76 – 78 5 77 385 6.07 30.35

79 – 81 3 80 240 9.07 27.21

Total 40 2837 ∑f | X – X | = 165.14

To solve for the mean:

X = ∑fX = 2837 = 70.93

n 40

To solve for the mean deviation:

MD = ∑ f | X - X | = 165.14 = 4.1285 or 4.13

n 40

INTERQUARTILE RANGE (IQR) and QUARTILE DEVIATION (QD)

FOR UNGROUPED AND UNGROUPED DATA

The quartile deviation (QD) is a measure that describes the existing dispersion in terms of
the distance selected observation points. The smaller the quartile deviation, the greater
concentration in the middle half of the observation in the data set.

The interquartile range (IQR) includes approximately the middle 50% of the values in an
array.

Formulas:

QD = Q3 – Q1
2
 IQR = Q3 – Q1

Example:

1. The following are the ages of the students who were found to be good in Statistics: 18

15 21 24 17 20

Find the following: (a) Quartile Deviation and (b) Interquartile Range.

Solution:

Array: 15 17 18 20 21 24

Find the values in Q1 and Q3 positions.

Q1 = 1 n + ( 1 - 1 ) th item = 1 (6) + ( 1 - 1 ) = 2.25th item

4444
2.25 is between the 2nd and 3rd items.

Interpolate: 18 – 17 = 1
1 x .25 = .25
17 + .25 = 17.25 = the value in the Q1 position.

Q3 = 3 n + ( 1 - 3 ) th item = 3 (6) + ( 1 - 3 ) = 4.75th item

4444

4.75 is between the 4th and 5th items.

Interpolate: 21 – 20 = 1
1 x .75 = .75
20 + .75 = 20.75 = the value in the Q3 position.

Solve for QD

QD = Q3 – Q1 = 20.75 – 17.25 = 3.50 = 1.75

222

Solve for IQR

=
IQR = Q3 – Q1 20.75 – 17.25 = 3.50

2. Consider the following table, determine the Interquartile Range and the Quartile Deviation.
Height in Frequency < Cumulative
Inch f Frequency < cf

61 – 63 2 2

64 – 66 5 7

67 – 69 12 19

70 – 72 5 24
 73 – 75 8 32

76 – 78 5 37

79 – 81 3 40

Total 40

Find the value of the First Quartile or Q1

Find the Q1 class: 1n / 4 = 1(40)/ 4 = 10; and 10 is in 19 cumulative frequency, therefore
67 – 69 is the Q1 or the first quartile class and its lower boundary (Lb) is 66.5
1n - <cf
Q1 = Lb + ( 4 ) C = 66.5 + ( 10 – 7 ) 3 = 66.5 + 0.75 = 67.25 Fqc 12

Find the value of the Third Quartile or Q3

Find the Q3 class: 3n / 4 = 3(40)/ 4 = 30; and 30 is in 32 cumulative frequency, therefore
73 – 75 is the Q3 or the third quartile class and its lower boundary (Lb) is 72.5

3n - <cf
Q3 = Lb + ( 4 ) C = 72.5 + ( 30 – 24 ) 3 = 72.5 + 2.25 = 74.75 Fqc 8

IQR = Q3 - Q1 = 74.75 – 67.25 = 7.5 QD = 1QR / 2 = 7.5/2 = 3.75

VARIANCE AND STANDARD DEVIATION

⮚ The variance of a population is equal to the sum of the squared deviations about the mean
divided by the number of scores.

⮚ The standard deviation is equal to the square root of the variance.

⮚ Variance and standard deviation are used when the mean is the preferred measure of
central tendency.

⮚ They show whether or not the scores are grouped closely around the mean of the
distribution.

⮚ Variance is frequently discussed by researchers as an indicator of how much variability

there is in an entire distribution of scores.

⮚ Standard deviation is used to determine how far the data are from the mean.

⮚ If the values are clustered tightly about their mean, the standard deviation is small and if
the values become more and more scattered about their mean, the standard deviation of
these sets is large.

⮚ Standard deviation is the most important and useful measure of dispersion. It is widely
used in research and is used in drawing inferences from samples to populations.

Variance and Standard Deviation for Ungrouped Data

Variance of a population:

σ2= ∑(X – μ) 2
N
 Standard deviation of a population:

σ = ∑(X – μ) 2
√N

Where: σ2 = variance of population

σ = population standard deviation
X = values of the observations
μ = population mean
N = total number of observations in the population

Variance of a sample:
S2= ∑( X – X)2
n–1

Standard deviation of a sample:

S = ∑( X – X)2
√n–1

Where: S2= variance of a sample

S = sample standard deviation
X = mean of the sample / sample mean
X = values of observations
n = total number of observations in the samples
Example:

The following is the distribution of the scores of five students in 120-item quiz in Statistics: 77,
84, 91, 98, and 105. Find the sample variance and the sample standard deviation.

Solution:
Solve for the mean: X = 77 + 84 + 91 + 98 + 105 = 455 = 91
55
X X-X ( X - X )2

77 77 – 91 = -14 196

84 84 – 91 = -7 49

91 91 – 91 = 0 0

98 98 – 91 = 7 49

105 105 – 91 = 14 196

∑( X – X)2 = 490

Solve for the variance:

S2= ∑( X – X)2 = 490 = 490 = 122.5
n–15–14

Solve for the standard deviation:

 S = ∑( X – X)2 = 490 = 490 = √ 122.5 = 11.07
√ n – 1 √ 5 -1 √ 4

The shortcut formula to solve for the sample variance:

S2 = n ( ∑ X2 ) - ( ∑X )2
n(n–1)

The shortcut formula to solve for the sample standard deviation:

2 2
S = n ( ∑ X ) - ( ∑X )
√n(n–1)

Let’s use the same set of raw data in previous example:

X X2

77 5,929

84 7,056

91 8,281

98 9,604

105 11,025

∑X = 455 ∑ X2 = 41,895

Solve for the standard deviation

2 2 2
S = n ( ∑ X ) - ( ∑X ) = 5 (41,895) – (455) = 209,475 - 207,025 = √122.5 = 11.07 √ n ( n – 1 )
√ 5 ( 5 – 1 ) √ 20
Variance and Standard Deviation for Grouped Data

Computing the variance and standard deviation from a frequency distribution is similar to
calculating the measure from ungrouped data.

Formulas:

Variance of a population:

σ2= ∑f(X – μ) 2
N
Standard deviation of a population:

σ = ∑f(X – μ) 2
√N

Where: σ2 = variance of population

σ = population standard deviation
X = midpoint or class mark of a class
μ = population mean
N = total number of observations in the population
 Variance of a sample:
S2= ∑f( X – X)2
n–1

Standard deviation of a sample:

S = ∑f( X – X)2
√n–1

Where: S2= variance of a sample

S = sample standard deviation
X = mean of the sample / sample mean
X = midpoint or class mark of a class
n = total number of observations in the samples

Example:

1. Let us consider again the distribution table below. Find the sample variance and sample
standard deviation.
Height in Frequency Class fX |X–X| |X–X| f|X–X|2
Inch f Mark X 2

61 – 63 2 62 124 8.93 79.7449 159.4898

64 – 66 5 65 325 5.93 35.1649 175.8245

67 – 69 12 68 816 2.93 8.5849 103.0188

70 – 72 5 71 355 0.07 0.0049 0.0245

73 – 75 8 74 592 3.07 9.4249 75.3992

76 – 78 5 77 385 6.07 36.8449 184.2245

79 – 81 3 80 240 9.07 82.2649 246.7947

Total 40 2837 ∑f |X – X | 2= 944.7760

The mean is computed as follows:

X = ∑fX = 2837 = 70.93
n 40
Solve for sample variance:

S2= ∑f( X – X)2= 944.7760 = 944.7760 = 24.23

n – 1 40 – 1 39

Solve for the sample standard deviation:

S = ∑f( X – X)2 = 944.7760 = 944.7760 = √ 24.23 = 4.92 √ n – 1 √ 40 – 1 √

39

The shortcut formula to solve for the sample variance:

S2 = n ∑f X2 - ( ∑f X )2
n(n–1)
The shortcut formula to solve for the sample standard deviation:

2 2
S = n ( ∑ f X ) - ( ∑f X )
√n(n–1)

Example:

Let us examine the same data below:

Height in Frequency Class Mark fX X2 f X2
Inch f X

61 – 63 2 62 124 3,844 7,688

64 – 66 5 65 325 4,225 21,125

67 – 69 12 68 816 4,624 55,488

70 – 72 5 71 355 5,041 25,205

73 – 75 8 74 592 5,476 43,808

76 – 78 5 77 385 5,929 29,645

79 – 81 3 80 240 6,400 19,200

Total 40 ∑f X = 2837 ∑f X2 = 202,159

To solve for the sample variance:

S2 = n ∑f X2 - ( ∑f X )2 = 40 (202,159) – (2,837) 2 = 2,086,360 – 8,048,569 = 37,791 = 24.23 n (

n – 1 ) 40 ( 40 – 1 ) 40 ( 39) 1,560

To solve for the sample standard deviation:

2 2 2
S = n ( ∑ f X ) - ( ∑f X ) = 40 (202,159) – (2,837) = 2,086,360 – 8,048,569 = √ n ( n – 1 )
√ 40 (40 – 1) √ 40 ( 39)

37,791 = √ 24.23 = 4.92

√ 1,560
Name: _____________________________________________ Score: __________________

Answer the following:

1. The following data are the number of television sets sold monthly by 10 appliance stores:

24, 8, 10, 24, 22, 15, 23, 12, 10, 14

Find the following: Answers

a. Range = _____________________________________________ b. Mean deviation =
_____________________________________________ c. Quartile Deviation =
_____________________________________________ d. Interquartile Range =
_____________________________________________ e. Variance =
_____________________________________________ f. Standard Deviation =
 _____________________________________________

Write your solutions here.

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2. A survey of the amount of time in minutes spent daily in playing video games of the 120
students are collected and given in the table below:
90 – 109 20
No. of Minutes f
110 - 129 25
10 – 29 8

30 – 49 12
Answers
50 - 69 25

70 – 89 30
a. Compute the average number of minutes they spent in playing video games. = ________
b. Compute the mean deviation. = ________ c. Find the interquartile range. = ________ d.
Find the quartile deviation of the distribution. = ________ e. Compute the standard
deviation. = ________ f. Compute the variance. = ________

Write your solutions here.

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