Module 8

Measure of Variation

Overview
Teachers need to know more about a distribution than just a measure of Central
Tendency. They need to know something about the spread of the scores in a distribution to be
able to know how the scores vary around the measures of central tendency. Measures of
Variation express numerically the extent to which the scores in a distribution scatter about or
cluster together. The following measures of variation shall be considered in the module: range,
variance, standard deviation and quartile deviation.

Objective
After studying this module, you should be able to:

 Discuss the range, variance, standard deviation and quartile deviation and their
uses.
 Explain the characteristics of the measures of variation.

Discussion

 The Range.
The range is the distance between the highest and lowest score in a distribution.
Range can be either be total or absolute.

Range for Ungrouped Test Scores

When test scores are ungrouped, absolute range is attained by the following
formula.

AR=HS−LS

Where: AR = Absolute Range

HS = Highest Score
LS = Lowest Score
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illustrative Example: Given the following scores, calculate the absolute

and total range:

11 12 15 23 30 33 25 27 29 16 18
14 26 10 28 19 34 39 30 26 31 10
Let us first compute the absolute range.

AR=HS−LS AR=39−10=29

For the total Range is 30, as shown below

TR=HS−LS+1TR=39−10+1=30

Range for the Grouped Test Score

When test scores are already grouped, we need to get the exact upper
limit of the highest interval and the exact lower limit of the lowest interval. Thus,
Absolute Range (AR) of grouped test scores can be determined following the
formula:
AR=EU =EL
Where: AR = Absolute Range
EU = Exact upper limit of the highest-class interval
EL = Exact Lower limit of the lowest class interval
On the other hand, total range for grouped test scores can be obtained by
sampling adding 1 to the difference of EU and EL. Thus, its computational
formula is:

TR=EU −EL+ 1

Illustrative Example: Determine the absolute and total range of scores

presented in Table 3.

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Table 3

Frequency Distribution of Test Scores in MAKABAYAN – Social Studies

Frequency
Classes
(f)
46 – 50 5
41 – 45 7
36 – 40 9
31 – 35 10
26 – 30 8
21 – 25 6
16 – 20 4
11 – 15 4
N=53

AR=EU −EL AR=50.5−10.5 AR=40 TR=EU −EL+ 1TR=50.5−10.5+1

TR=40+1TR=41

The Range is the most unreliable measure of variation (Manarang and

Manarang, 1983) this is because it is affected by extreme scores. It is the easiest
to compute among the measures of variation. According to Minuem and his
Colleagues (1995), the range is ideal for preliminary work or in circumstance
where precision is not an important requirement.

 The Variance

The variance is another measure of variation. According to Calmoun (1994), it is

the square of standard deviation or simply mean square.

Variance for Ungrouped Test Scores.

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Variance from ungrouped test scores can be obtained following the

formula:

( Sx )2
N
S2=S x 2− −1
N

Where: S2= variance

Sx2= sum of test scores squared
N= total number of test scores
The procedures for computing the variance for ungrouped test scores are
illustrated in Table 3
Table 3
Computation of the Variance for Ungrouped Test Scores

Scores X2
(x)
4 16
5 25
7 49
9 81
10 100
12 144
15 225
8 64
11 121
Sx=81 Sx2=829
N=9 Mean = 81/9=9
( Sx )2 ( 81 )2
S x2 − 829− 2 829−729 2 100 2
N 2 9 S= S= S =12.5
S2= S= 8 8
N−1 9−1

Variance for Grouped Test Scores

The variance for grouped test scores can be determined by applyting
formula:
Sf d 2 Sfd 2
2
S=
(
n
−
N( ) )i
Where: S2 = Variance
Sfd2 = Sum of the cross products of the frequency and
deviation score multiplied by each deviation scores.

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Sfd = sum of the cross products of the frequency and

deviation scores.
N = Total number of test scores
I = class size
To be able to apply the foregoing computational formula, the following
steps have to be observed:
1. Select the middle-class interval to be the starting point in laying out
the deviation score for each class.
2. Assign a deviation score for each of the classes, just like in the
computation of the mean using the deviation method.
3. Multiply each deviation score by corresponding frequency of each
class.
4. Sum up the results in step 3 algebraically to get Sfd.
5. Multiply each fd by its corresponding d to get Sfd2
6. Sum up all class frequencies to get N.
7. Determine the class interval (i)
8. Plug the obtained values in steps 4 to 7 into the aforementioned
computational formula.
The computation of the variance for grouped test scores is illustrated in
Table 4.

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Table 4
Computation of the Variance for Grouped Test Scores

Classe
Frequency (f) D fd fd2
s
46 – 50 5 4 20 80
41 – 45 7 3 21 63
36 – 40 9 2 18 36
31 – 35 10 1 10 10
26 – 30 8 0 0 0
21 – 25 6 -1 -6 6
16 – 20 4 -2 -8 16
11 – 50 4 -3 -12 36
2
N = 53 Sfd = 43 Sfd = 247

Sf d 2 Sfd 2 2
247 43
S2=
( n ( )) (
−
N
iS2=
53
−( ) ) 5 S =( 4.66−0.66) 5 S =( 4 ) 5S =20
53
2 2 2

 The Standard Deviation

The standard deviation is simply the square root of the variance or S 2 (Mason
and Bramble, 1989) it is the most reliable of estimating variability in test scores, when
the average used is the mean. Standard deviation (S) for both ungrouped and
ungrouped test scores can be obtained by getting the square root of the variance (S 2).
Thus, the formula for computing standard deviation is as follows:

S=square root of S 2 (Variance )

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Where: S = Standard Deviation

S2 = Variance

Illustrative Example:
Compute the S (Standard Deviation) for the data given on Table 3. Is as
much as the S2 (Variance) = 12.5 our S (Standard Deviation) for the
aforementioned data set is 3.54 as shown below:

S=square root of 12.5S=3.54

What is the standard deviation of the scores listed in Table 4? Applying

the same formula, the S (Standard Deviation) for the scores in Table 4 is 4.47 as
S2= 20.

 The Quartile Deviation (QD)

Another measure of variation is the Quantile Deviation or the Semi-interquartile
Range. This is specifically used when the median is used as a measure of central
tendency. (Downie and Heath, 1984).

Quartile Deviation for Ungrouped Test Scores

Deviation is calculated by getting the average of the difference of the third

Quartile (QQ30 and the first Quartile (Q1). The steps to be followed in computing
QD are as follows.

1. Arrange the test scores from the highest to lowest.

2. Assign serial numbers to each score. The first serial number is assigned to
the lowest test score, while the last serial number is assigned to the highest
test score.
3. Determine the first Quartile (Q1). To be able to locate Q1, divide N by 4. Use
the obtained value in locating the serial number of the score that under Q1.
4. Determine the third Quartile (Q3) by dividing 3N by 4. Locate the serial
number corresponding to their obtained answer. Opposite this number is the
test score corresponding to Q3.

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5. Subtract Q1 from Q3 and divide the difference by 2.

Consider the test scores in Table 5.

Table 5
Computation of the Quartile Deviation for Ungrouped Test Scores

Score Serial Number

42 10
40 9
36 8
38 7
35 6
30 5
29 4
25 3
20 2
18 1
N=10
N 10 3N 10 18+20 38+ 37
= =2.5
4 4 4
=
4( )
=7.5Q 1=
2 (
=19Q 3=
2 )
=36 ( )
QD= ( Q 3−Q
2
1
) =(
36−19 17
2 ) 2
= =8.5

Quantile Deviation for Grouped Test Scores

While the computational for QD for grouped test scores is similar with that
of ungrouped test scores, the procedures in obtaining the third and first quantiles
are different. The steps to be followed in computing QD for grouped test scores
are given below.

1. Cumulate the frequencies from the bottom to the top of the grouped
frequency distribution.
2. Fin the first Quartile (Q1) using the following formula:

3N
Q 1=L+( 4
−CF

f (i) )
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Where: L = Exact lower limit of the Q1 class

3N/4 = Locator of the Q1 class
N = Total number of scores
CF = Cumulative Frequency before the Q1 class
F = Frequency of the Q1 Class
I = Class Size
3. Find the quartile by applying the formula give below:

3N
Q 3=L+( 4
−CF

F (i) )
Where: L = Exact lower limit of the Q3 class
3N/4 = Locator of the Q3 class
N = Total number of scores
CF = Cumulative Frequency before the Q3 class
F = Frequency of the Q3 Class
I = Class Size

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Table 6
Computation of the Quartile Deviation for Grouped Test Scores

Cumulative
Classes Frequency (f)
Frequency (CF)
46 -50 5 53
41 – 45 7 48
36 – 40 9 41
31 – 35 10 32
26 – 30 8 22
21 – 25 6 14
16 – 20 4 8
11 – 15 4 4
N 23
= =13.5 CF=8 F=6 L=20.5
4 4

N
Q 1=L+
4
( )
−cf

F (i )
Q 1=20.5+
13.25−8
6 ( 5)

Q 1=20.5+ ( 5.256 )( 5 )Q 1=20.5+( 31.56 )

Q 1=20.5+5.25Q 1=25.75

3 N 3 ( 54 )
= =40.5CF=32 F=9 L=35.5
4 4

3n
Q 3=L+
4
(−CF

f (i) )
Q 3=35.5+
40.5−32
9 ( 5)

Q 3=35.5+ ( 8.59 ) ( 5)Q 3=35.5+( 42.59 )

Q 3=35.5+ 4.72Q 3=40.22

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After obtaining the first and third quartiles, we cannot compute QD. Thus,

Q3−Q1 40.22−25.75 14.47

QD= QD= QD= =7.235∨7.24
2 2 2

Assessment
Answer the following questions.
A. Determine / Calculate / Compute the:
1. Absolute and total range.
2. Variance
3. Standard Deviation
4. Quartile deviation
Test Scores in Biology:
18, 15, 14, 16, 19,
17, 16, 20, 12, 14,
Given the grouped frequency distribution of test scores in Filipino, Compute
the Absolute and Total Range, Variance, Standard Deviation and Quartile
Deviation.

Classes Frequency
41 – 45 5
36 – 40 7
31 – 35 9
26 – 30 8
21 – 25 7
16 – 20 5

References
1. Garcia, Carlito D. (2004) – Educational Measurement and Evaluation,
Mandaluyong City, Books Atbp. Publishing Corporation

11 | P a g e Measures of Central Tendency