The formula

WARNING
You may need to sit down for this!

= { (x - )2 / n}
This is the symbol for
the standard deviation

Standard Deviation Formula

typical deviation from the mean

1
2
( xi x )

(n 1) i 1

[ standard deviation = square root of the

variance ]
BPS - 5th Ed.

Chapter 2

Variance and Standard

Deviation; Example
Metabolic rates of 7 men (cal./24hr.) :
1792 1666 1362 1614 1460 1867
1439

1792 1666 1362 1614 1460 1867 1439

7
11,200

7
1600

Variance and Standard

Deviation
Observations

xi

Example from Text

Deviations

Squared deviations

xi x

xi x

1792

17921600 = 192

1666

1666 1600 =

1362

1362 1600 = -238

1614

1614 1600 =

1460

1460 1600 = -140

(-140)2 = 19,600

1867

1867 1600 = 267

(267)2 = 71,289

1439

1439 1600 = -161

(-161)2 = 25,921

sum =

66
14

(192)2 = 36,864
(66)2 =

4,356

(-238)2 = 56,644
(14)2 =

196

sum = 214,870

214,870
s
35,811.67
7 1
2

s 35,811.67 189.24 calories

Semi-worked example
We are going to try and find the
standard deviation of the minimum
temperatures of 10 weather stations in
Britain on a winters day.
The temperatures are:
5, 9, 3, 2, 7, 9, 8, 2, 2, 3
(Centigrade)

To calculate the standard deviation we

construct a table like this one:
x

(x - )

(x - )2

There should be enough space

here to fit in the number of
values. Eg: there are 10
temperatures so leave 10 lines.

x =
= x/n =

(x - )2 =
(x - )2/n =
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

Next
we writethe
the
values (temperatures)
in
To calculate
standard
deviation we construct
a
table
thisorder).
one:
column x (they can
be like
in any
x

(x - )

(x - )2

5
9
3
2
7
9
8
2
2
3
x =
= x/n =

(x - )2 =
(x - )2/n =
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

Add them up (x)

x

Calculate the mean ()

(x - )

(x - )2

5
9
3
2
7
9
8
2
2
3
x =50
= x/n =
50/10 = 5

(x - )2 =
(x - )2/n =
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

next

Write the mean temperature () in

every row in the second column.
x

5
9
3
2
7
9
8
2
2
3

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

x =50
= x/n =
50/10 = 5

(x - )

(x - )2

(x - )2 =
(x - )2/n =
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

now

Subtract each value (temperature) from the mean. It

does not matter if you obtain a negative number.

(x - )

5
9
3
2
7
9
8
2
2
3

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

0
4
-2
-3
2
4
3
-3
-3
-2

x =50
= x/n =
50/10 = 5

(x - )2

(x - )2 =
(x - )2/n =
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

and
then

Square (2) all of the figures you obtained in

column 3 to get rid of the negative numbers.
x

(x - )

5
9
3
2
7
9
8
2
2
3

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

0
4
-2
-3
2
4
3
-3
-3
-2

x =50
= x/n =
50/10 = 5

(x - )2
0
16
4
9
4
16
9
9
9
4

(x - )2 =
(x - )2/n =
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

then

Add up all of the figures that you

calculated in column 4 to get (x - )2.
x

(x - )

5
9
3
2
7
9
8
2
2
3

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

0
4
-2
-3
2
4
3
-3
-3
-2

x =50
= x/n =
50/10 = 5

(x - )2
0
16
4
9
4
16
9
9
9
4

(x - )2 = 80
(x - )2/n =
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

and

Divide (x - )2 by the total number of

values (in this case 10 weather stations)
x

(x - )

5
9
3
2
7
9
8
2
2
3

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

0
4
-2
-3
2
4
3
-3
-3
-2

x =50
= x/n =
50/10 = 5

(x - )2
0
16
4
9
4
16
9
9
9
4

(x - )2 = 80
(x - )2/n = 8
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

finally

Take the square root () of the figure to obtain the

standard deviation. (Round your answer to the nearest
decimal place)

(x - )

5
9
3
2
7
9
8
2
2
3

5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

0
4
-2
-3
2
4
3
-3
-3
-2

x =50
= x/n =
50/10 = 5

(x - )2
0
16
4
9
4
16
9
9
9
4

(x - )2 = 80
(x - )2/n = 8
(x - )2/n =

x = temperature --- = mean temperature --- = square root

= total of --- 2 = squared --- n = number of values

Answer
2.8C