What would you do first to calculate variance for a given set of numbers?

To calculate variance for a given set of numbers, the first step is to find the mean of the set. The variance measures how much individual data points differ from the mean value of the dataset.

Once the mean is determined, each number in the set can be subtracted from the mean to find the difference, which is then squared. These squared differences are averaged, which results in the variance. Therefore, finding the mean is an essential initial step that sets the stage for all subsequent calculations involved in calculating the variance.

Calculating the standard deviation is the next step after obtaining the variance, as standard deviation is simply the square root of the variance. Finding the median, while it can provide insights into the dataset, is not necessary for calculating variance. Summing all values in the set does not contribute directly to finding variance without first knowing the mean. Thus, starting with the mean is the correct and necessary first step in this statistical process.