What is the difference between variance and standard deviation in NumPy?

What is the difference between variance and standard deviation in NumPy?

Variance measures the spread of data points, while standard deviation is the square root of variance, indicating dispersion.

Can you show me how to calculate both using NumPy?

Sure! You can use numpy.var() for variance and numpy.std() for standard deviation. Here's an example:

import numpy as np

data = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
variance = np.var(data)
std_deviation = np.std(data)
print('Variance:', variance)
print('Standard Deviation:', std_deviation)

Why is standard deviation often preferred over variance?

Standard deviation is preferred because it is in the same units as the data, making it easier to interpret.

Are there any scenarios where variance is more useful?

Yes, variance is useful in statistical modeling and when comparing datasets, as it provides a measure of spread without the square root transformation.