Variance is a measure of volatility, risk, or statistical dispersion. It is the square of the standard deviation. The variance is calculated by: computing the mean of the series then taking the deviation or subtracting the mean from each observation, square the differences or deviations for each observation, and divide the sum of the squared deviations by the number of observations. This computation is the precursor to the standard deviation. The standard deviation is calculated by taking the square root of the variance.
Barry Goldsmith
| APA | Barry Goldsmith. (2010). variance. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/variance/definitions/1166197 |
| Chicago | Barry Goldsmith. 2010. "variance" http://smartdefine.org/variance/definitions/1166197 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
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| MLA | Barry Goldsmith. "variance" 21 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/variance/definitions/1166197> |