Math with Bad DrawingsCartoon Archive

Math Fashion Tips: Two Variance Formulas

May 25, 2025

Fashion commentary on two equivalent notations: Two Variance Formulas.

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Free for classrooms, worksheets, slides and other non-commercial use under CC BY-NC 4.0, with credit to Ben Orlin.

Cartoon by Ben Orlin, Math with Bad Drawings. https://cartoons.mathwithbaddrawings.com/2025-05-25-math-fashion-tips--variance/ (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Transcript

(1/n)Σ(xᵢ − x̄)²: "fragile, a museum piece, not as comfy as it looks" vs. E(X²) − (E(X))²: "flexible, durable, everyday wear"

Topics
Statistics › VarianceMath Culture › Notation
Level
High SchoolCollege
Themes
Language & WordplayPunsVisual Explanations