Variance: what it means and how to read it
In the report: variance — The mean squared deviation from the mean: sample formula (n − 1); with pop = TRUE in Settings, population (n).
How to read it
The spread in squared units, hard to read directly; std is its square root, in the units of the data.
In plain words
A shop owner knew that a customer spends 100 dollars on average. But when someone spent 110, she could not tell whether that was a lot or a little. She counted how far customers usually are from 100. First comes an awkward number, the variance, here 400; from it comes a handy one, the standard deviation: 20 dollars. Now she knows: 120 is clearly more than usual, and 140 is rare. The variance itself is hard to read, so you mostly use the handy one.
How it is computed
Σ (x − x̄)² / (n − 1)Where you see it
STATS_DESCRIPTIVE— Column-wise descriptive statistics with flexible metric selection and optional column filtering.
Related values
- Standard deviation — The square root of the variance: sample formula (n − 1); with pop = TRUE in Settings, population (n).
- Coefficient of variation — std / mean; empty when the mean is 0.
- Relative dispersion — std / median; empty when the median is 0.
- Skewness — The asymmetry of the distribution, with the sample correction as in Excel and SPSS; empty for fewer than 3 values or a column of equal values.
- Kurtosis — Excess kurtosis: how heavy the tails are compared with the normal distribution (0), with the sample correction as in Excel and SPSS; empty for fewer than 4 values or a column of equal values.
Get it in your sheet
One formula in a cell gives the whole report, Variance included. ALS Stats is a free add-on for Google Sheets™.
Install ALS Stats from Google Workspace Marketplace (opens in a new tab)