Measures of Variation

(Grouped data)
Variation or dispersion is the degree to which the data are spread out.

Measures of
Variation

Absolute Relative
Variation Variation

Measures of Absolute Variation

Standard Semi-interquartile
Range deviation range

Grouped data:
Range for grouped data:

The formula is:

Range= Midpoint of the last class- Midpoint of the first class

Range=the upper limit of the last class- the lower limit of the first
class

1
Example:
Determine the Range from the following frequency
distribution:
Class Frequency

5- 2
7- 5
9- 8
11- 4
13-15 1
Total 20
Solution:
Range = Midpoint of the last class- Midpoint of the first class
Range = 14 - 6 = 8

Range = the upper limit of the last class- the lower limit of the first
class
Range = 15 – 5 = 10

The Variance and the Standard Deviation for grouped data:

Sample variance is
n

(X i − x )2 fi
S2 = i =1
n

f
i =1
i −1

2
 2
 N 
  X i fi 
X i2 f i −  i =1 N 
N


i =1
 fi
S2 = N
i =1

i =1
fi −1

Where:

Xi is the midpoint of the i class .

fi is the class frequency.

n is the total number of sample observations.

Example:
For the following frequency distribution table:
Class 4- 6- 8- 10- 12-14
Frequency 2 4 10 5 2
Determine the sample variance and standard deviation
Solution:
Class f x fx f x2
4- 2 5 10 50
6- 4 7 28 196
8- 10 9 90 810
10- 5 11 55 605
12- 2 13 26 338
Total 23 45 209 1999
𝑛
𝑛 ( ∑ 𝑓𝑖 𝑥𝑖 )2
1
S2 = (∑ 𝑓𝑖 𝑥𝑖 2 − 𝑖 = 1 )
𝑛−1 𝑛
𝑖=1

3
 1
= (1999 − 1899.17) = 4.54
23 − 1
𝑆 = 2.13

Example:
Consider the weight of the sample of students in following
frequency distribution table:
Class Frequency
40-49 2
50-59 9
60-69 15
70-79 11
80-89 2
90-99 1
Total 40
Determine the Variance and standard deviation
Solution:
2
 N 
  X i fi 
X i2 f i −  i =1 N 
N


i =1
 fi
S2 = N
i =1
,
f
i =1
i −1

2
class f xi fxi fxi

40-49 2 44.5 89 3960.5

50-59 9 54.5 490.5 26732.25
60-69 15 64.5 967.5 62403.75
70-79 11 74.5 819.5 61052.75

4
 80-89 2 84.5 169 12280.5
90-99 1 94.5 94.5 8930.25
Total 40 2630 177360

177360−
(2630)
2

S2 = 40
40 − 1
6916900
177360−
S2 = 40 = 177360− 172922.5
40 − 1 40 − 1
S = 113.78
2

S = S 2 = 113.78 = 10.67

Another solution
n

(X i − x )2 fi
S2 = i =1
n

f
i =1
i −1

X i i f
2630
X= i =1
8
= = 65.75
f
40
i
i =1

Class x f xf 𝑥 − 𝑥̅ (𝑥 − 𝑥̅ )2 f(x − 𝑥̅ )2
40-49 44.5 2 89 -21.25 451.56 903.13
50-59 54.5 9 490.5 -11.25 126.56 1139.06
60-69 64.5 15 967.5 -1.25 1.56 23.44
70-79 74.5 11 819.5 8.75 76.56 842.19
80-89 84.5 2 169 18.75 351.56 703.13
90-99 94.5 1 94.5 28.75 826.56 826.56
40 2630 4437.5

5
 n

(X i − x )2 fi
S2 = i =1
n

f
i =1
i −1

4437.5
S2 = = 113.78
40 − 1

S = S 2 = 113.78 = 10.67

Note that:
• Standard deviation is not affected by addition and
subtraction.
• Standard deviation is affected by division and
multiplication.