Variance
Purpose 
Returns the variance of a sample represented by a series of non-blank values in field.
Format 
Variance(field{;field...})
Parameters 
field - any related field, repeating field, or set of non-repeating fields; or an expression that returns a field, repeating field, or set of non-repeating fields.
Parameters in curly braces { } are optional.
Data type returned 
number
Originated in 
FileMaker Pro 7.0
Description 
The variance of a distribution is a measure of how spread out the distribution is. Field can be any of the following:
 •
a repeating field (repeatingField).
 •
a field in matching related records specified by (table::field), whether or not these records appear in a portal.
 •
 •
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...).
Equation
Examples 
A portal displays the related values 5, 6, 7, and 8 in Scores.
Variance(table::Scores) returns 1.66666666....
In the following examples:
 •
 •
 •
 •
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...
The variance for Class 1 is much lower than the variance for Class 2, because the scores for Class 2 are more spread out.
Related topics 
Functions reference (category list)
Functions reference (alphabetical list)
About formulas
About functions
Defining calculation fields
Using operators in formulas