XiliroSMALL TOOLS. BIG POSSIBILITIES.

Variance Calculator

Calculate the population or sample variance of a list of numbers.

Separate numbers with a comma or a new line, e.g. 2, 4, 4, 5, 9.

Data type

Population: use when the entered values are the complete group you're analysing. Sample: use when they're a sample taken from a larger population.

Worked example

For 2, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 7, 9 as a population, the variance is 4.

How it works

Variance measures how spread out a set of numbers is from its mean. It is the average of the squared differences from the mean, and its square root is the standard deviation. This tool uses the same population and sample formulas, and the same convention, as the Standard Deviation Calculator: the population formula divides by the number of values, the sample formula divides by one fewer (to correct for estimating from a sample), and the two are never mixed. A sample variance needs at least 2 values.

What this result means

Variance is the average of the squared differences from the mean — the same spread measure as standard deviation, but before the square root is taken.

Analytics only runs if you choose to allow it below. Advertising and affiliate tracking are not currently used on Xiliro. This panel exists so your preference is on record for if that ever changes.

Essential

Always active. Needed for the Site to work and stay secure. Not optional.

Analytics
Advertising

If a certified advertising consent tool is ever active on this Site, both your choice here and that tool's own decision would need to allow it before Google advertising could be shown. This toggle has no effect on anything today.

Affiliate