# Variance of mean of correlated variables

Page 228 of THIS BOOK provides the formula for the variance of the mean of more than two correlated random variables:

where $$m$$ is the number of variables, $$r$$ is the correlation between the variables, and $$V$$ is the variance of each of the variables.

The same book, however, provides a different formula for the variance of the mean of two correlated variables:

The formula formula for more than two variables doesn't seem to be an extension of the formula for two variables. Specifically a $$2$$ is in the two-variable formula that is absent in the more-than-two-variable formula.

Is this by design?

• 0.1*sqrt(0.25*0.5)+0.2*sqrt(0.25*0.75)+0.3*sqrt(0.5*0.75) – user158565 Aug 5 '19 at 1:50

The formula for $$m>2$$ is a generalization of the other formula:

When $$m=2$$: $$\left(\frac{1}{m}\right)^2 = \frac{1}{4},$$

The sum of $$V_i$$ equals $$V_1 + V_2$$,

And for the last summation,
$$r_{12} \cdot \sqrt{V_1} \cdot \sqrt{V_2} + r_{21} \cdot \sqrt{V_2} \cdot \sqrt{V_1} = 2r \cdot \sqrt{V_1} \cdot \sqrt{V_2}$$

Here's an R code for computing this sum:

myVariances <- c(0.25,0.5,0.75) # this is a vector of the variances

myCorrelations <- matrix(data = c(1,0.1,0.2,0.1,1,0.3,0.2,0.3,1), nrow = 3, ncol = 3) # this is the matrix of correlations

mySum <- 0 # initializes mySum to zero

for (i in 1:nrow(myCorrelations)) {
for (j in 1:nrow(myCorrelations)) {
mySum <- mySum + myCorrelations[i,j] * sqrt(myVariances[[i]]) * sqrt(myVariances[[j]])
}
} # this loop computes the sum

(1/nrow(myCorrelations))^2 * mySum # this multiplies that sum by (1/m)^2


The above code assumes that your matrix of correlations includes 1's on the diagonal, to represent that the variables are perfectly correlated with themselves.

• That’s close, but when the sum says for all i not equal to j, it’s saying that you have, for example, to let i=1 and j=2 AND also let i=2 and j=1. Since those terms will be equal, you could just compute one of them and multiply by two. – Joe Aug 5 '19 at 2:40
• For your example of 3 variables? Well, your code is close, it just needs three 2’s – Joe Aug 5 '19 at 2:44
• ((1/3)^2)*(sum(var1, var2, var3) + 2*r12*sqrt(var1*var2)+2*r13*sqrt(var1*var3)+2*r23*sqrt(var2*var3)) – Joe Aug 5 '19 at 2:46
• Ah, ok. Maybe I can. How are those variables be stored in your environment? Like, do you have a vector of variances and a matrix of correlations? – Joe Aug 5 '19 at 2:49
• Welcome to Stats.SE and thank you for your answer. Take the opportunity to take the tour, if you haven't done it already. See also some tips on formatting help and on writing down equations using LaTeX / MathJax. – Ertxiem - reinstate Monica Aug 5 '19 at 2:51