Squared deviations from the mean (SDM) result from squaring deviations. In probability theory and statistics, the definition of variance is either the expected value of the SDM (when considering a theoretical distribution) or its average value (for actual experimental data). Computations for analysis of variance involve the partitioning of a sum of SDM.

An understanding of the computations involved is greatly enhanced by a study of the statistical value

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (X^{2})}$, where ${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} }$ is the expected value operator.

For a random variable ${\displaystyle X}$ with mean ${\displaystyle \mu }$ and variance ${\displaystyle \sigma ^{2))$,

${\displaystyle \sigma ^{2}=\operatorname {E} (X^{2})-\mu ^{2}.}$^[1]

(Its derivation is shown here.) Therefore,

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (X^{2})=\sigma ^{2}+\mu ^{2}.}$

From the above, the following can be derived:

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} \left(\sum \left(X^{2}\right)\right)=n\sigma ^{2}+n\mu ^{2},}$

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} \left(\left(\sum X\right)^{2}\right)=n\sigma ^{2}+n^{2}\mu ^{2}.}$

The sum of squared deviations needed to calculate sample variance (before deciding whether to divide by n or n − 1) is most easily calculated as

${\displaystyle S=\sum x^{2}-{\frac {\left(\sum x\right)^{2)){n))}$

From the two derived expectations above the expected value of this sum is

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (S)=n\sigma ^{2}+n\mu ^{2}-{\frac {n\sigma ^{2}+n^{2}\mu ^{2)){n))}$

which implies

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (S)=(n-1)\sigma ^{2}.}$

This effectively proves the use of the divisor n − 1 in the calculation of an unbiased sample estimate of σ².

In the situation where data is available for k different treatment groups having size n_i where i varies from 1 to k, then it is assumed that the expected mean of each group is

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (\mu _{i})=\mu +T_{i))$

and the variance of each treatment group is unchanged from the population variance ${\displaystyle \sigma ^{2))$.

Under the Null Hypothesis that the treatments have no effect, then each of the ${\displaystyle T_{i))$ will be zero.

It is now possible to calculate three sums of squares:

Individual

${\displaystyle I=\sum x^{2))$

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (I)=n\sigma ^{2}+n\mu ^{2))$

Treatments

${\displaystyle T=\sum _{i=1}^{k}\left(\left(\sum x\right)^{2}/n_{i}\right)}$

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (T)=k\sigma ^{2}+\sum _{i=1}^{k}n_{i}(\mu +T_{i})^{2))$

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (T)=k\sigma ^{2}+n\mu ^{2}+2\mu \sum _{i=1}^{k}(n_{i}T_{i})+\sum _{i=1}^{k}n_{i}(T_{i})^{2))$

Under the null hypothesis that the treatments cause no differences and all the ${\displaystyle T_{i))$ are zero, the expectation simplifies to

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (T)=k\sigma ^{2}+n\mu ^{2}.}$

Combination

${\displaystyle C=\left(\sum x\right)^{2}/n}$

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (C)=\sigma ^{2}+n\mu ^{2))$

Under the null hypothesis, the difference of any pair of I, T, and C does not contain any dependency on ${\displaystyle \mu }$, only ${\displaystyle \sigma ^{2))$.

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (I-C)=(n-1)\sigma ^{2))$ total squared deviations aka total sum of squares

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (T-C)=(k-1)\sigma ^{2))$ treatment squared deviations aka explained sum of squares

${\displaystyle \operatorname {E} (I-T)=(n-k)\sigma ^{2))$ residual squared deviations aka residual sum of squares

The constants (n − 1), (k − 1), and (n − k) are normally referred to as the number of degrees of freedom.

In a very simple example, 5 observations arise from two treatments. The first treatment gives three values 1, 2, and 3, and the second treatment gives two values 4, and 6.

${\displaystyle I={\frac {1^{2)){1))+{\frac {2^{2)){1))+{\frac {3^{2)){1))+{\frac {4^{2)){1))+{\frac {6^{2)){1))=66}$

${\displaystyle T={\frac {(1+2+3)^{2)){3))+{\frac {(4+6)^{2)){2))=12+50=62}$

${\displaystyle C={\frac {(1+2+3+4+6)^{2)){5))=256/5=51.2}$

Giving

Total squared deviations = 66 − 51.2 = 14.8 with 4 degrees of freedom.

Treatment squared deviations = 62 − 51.2 = 10.8 with 1 degree of freedom.

Residual squared deviations = 66 − 62 = 4 with 3 degrees of freedom.

• Absolute deviation
• Algorithms for calculating variance
• Errors and residuals
• Least squares
• Mean squared error
• Residual sum of squares
• Root-mean-square deviation
• Variance decomposition