Q.In the previous question, calculate the relative measures of variation and indicate the value which, in your opinion, is more reliable.

Each absolute measure has a unit-free relative counterpart; dividing by the appropriate average gives coefficients that can be compared directly. …

Using the absolute values from Exercise 5:

WHEAT ($L = 25$, $S = 9$, $Q_1 = 10$, $Q_3 = 19.5$, M.D. = 4.3, S.D. = 5.04, mean = 15.5):

• Coefficient of range $= \dfrac{L-S}{L+S} = \dfrac{25-9}{25+9} = \dfrac{16}{34} = 0.47$.
• Coefficient of Q.D. $= \dfrac{Q_3-Q_1}{Q_3+Q_1} = \dfrac{9.5}{29.5} = 0.32$.
• Coefficient of M.D. $= \dfrac{M.D.}{\bar{x}} = \dfrac{4.3}{15.5} = 0.28$.
• Coefficient of variation $= \dfrac{\sigma}{\bar{x}}\times100 = \dfrac{5.04}{15.5}\times100 = 32.5\%$.

RICE ($L = 34$, $S = 12$, $Q_1 = 12$, $Q_3 = 24.5$, M.D. = 6.0, S.D. = 7.16, mean = 19.5):

• Coefficient of range $= \dfrac{34-12}{34+12} = \dfrac{22}{46} = 0.48$.
• Coefficient of Q.D. $= \dfrac{12.5}{36.5} = 0.34$.
• Coefficient of M.D. $= \dfrac{6.0}{19.5} = 0.31$. …