Investopedia contributors come from a range of backgrounds, and over 25 years there have been thousands of expert writers and editors who have contributed. Somer G. Anderson is CPA, doctor of ...

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and ...

Standard deviation and variance are two basic mathematical concepts that have an important place in various parts of the financial sector, from accounting to economics to investing. Both measure the ...

Standard deviation is a metric that shows the variability of a security’s returns over time. It can be used to gauge volatility based on past performance and compare a future return to past returns.

When reviewing cash flow data for your small business, knowing the standard deviation can help you determine if the numbers are out of whack. Calculating standard deviation manually can be ...

Why are the variable levels and patterns of genetic variation important? Knowledge about how traits vary can reveal the evolutionary dynamics that shape populations. Once researchers have determined ...