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VARIANCE()

Overview

VARIANCE() calculates the statistical variance of a set of numbers. Variance measures how far a set of numbers are spread out from their average value. This function is useful for statistical analysis, data quality assessment, and understanding the distribution of values in a dataset.

Function Format

VARIANCE(number1 [, number2, number3, ...])

Return Value

VARIANCE() returns a numeric value

Examples

// Basic variance calculation
VARIANCE(1, 2, 3) = 1

// Larger range of values
VARIANCE(50, 100, 1) = 44

// Negative values
VARIANCE(-50, -100, -1) = 44

// Additional examples
VARIANCE(10, 10, 10) = 0           // Identical values
VARIANCE(0, 0, 0) = 0              // Zero values
VARIANCE(1, 2, 3, 4, 5) = 2.5      // Sequential numbers
VARIANCE(100, 200, 300) = 10000    // Large numbers

Notes

• Important behaviors:
  • Calculates population variance
  • Handles both positive and negative values
  • Returns 0 for identical values
  • Preserves decimal precision
  • Works with any number of inputs
• Common use cases include:
  • Statistical analysis
  • Data quality assessment
  • Risk analysis
  • Performance measurement
  • Distribution analysis
• The function is useful for:
  • Measuring data spread
  • Quality control
  • Risk assessment
  • Statistical modeling
• Mathematical properties:
  • Always returns non-negative value
  • Same result for positive/negative shifts
  • Scales with squared differences
  • Zero for constant values