Functions Reference

Data type returned
number
Description
Returns the variance of a sample represented by a series of non-blank values. The
variance of a distribution is a measure of how spread out the distribution is. Use this
function on any of the following fields:
• a repeating field (repeatingField).
• a field in matching related records specified by (table::field), whether or not
these records appear in a portal.
• several non-repeating fields in a record (field1;field2;field3...).
• corresponding repetitions of repeating fields in a record
(repeatingField1;repeatingField2;repeatingField3), if the result is
returned in a repeating field with at least the same number of repeats.
• several fields in the first matching record specified by
(table::field1;table::field2;...). You can include fields from different
tables (table 1::field A;table 2::field B...).
Examples
A portal displays the related values 5, 6, 7, and 8 in Scores.
Variance(table::Scores) returns 1.66666666....
In the following examples:
• Field1 contains two repetitions with values of 1 and 2.
• Field2 contains four repetitions with values of 5, 6, 7, and 8.
• Field3 contains four repetitions with values of 6, 0, 4,and 4.
• Field4 contains one repetition with a value of 3.
Variance(Field4) results in an error since the variance of a single value is not
defined.
Variance(Field1;Field2;Field3) returns 7, 9.33333333..., 4.5, 8 if the calculation
is a repeating field.
Student example:
Two classes of students take an exam. Class 1 has scores of 70, 71, 70, 74, 75, 73, 72,
and Class 2 has scores of 55, 80, 75, 40, 65, 50, 95. The variance for each class is:
Class 1: 3.80952380...
Class 2: 361.90476190...
Variance
x
1
2
x
2
2
… x
n
2
+++
n1–
------------------------------------------
x
1
x
2
… x
n
+++()
2
nn 1–()
-------------------------------------------------–=